Automatic load balancing and performance leveling of virtual nodes running real-time control in process control systems

ABSTRACT

A Multi-Purpose Dynamic Simulation and run-time Control platform includes a virtual process environment coupled to a physical process environment, where components/nodes of the virtual and physical process environments cooperate to dynamically perform run-time process control of an industrial process plant and/or simulations thereof. Virtual components may include virtual run-time nodes and/or simulated nodes. The MPDSC includes an I/O Switch which delivers I/O data between virtual and/or physical nodes, e.g., by using publish/subscribe mechanisms, thereby virtualizing physical I/O process data delivery. Nodes serviced by the I/O Switch may include respective component behavior modules that are unaware as to whether or not they are being utilized on a virtual or physical node. Simulations may be performed in real-time and even in conjunction with run-time operations of the plant, and/or simulations may be manipulated as desired (speed, values, administration, etc.). The platform simultaneously supports simulation and run-time operations and interactions/intersections therebetween.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/874,216, filed on May 14, 2020 and entitled “Automatic Load Balancingand Performance Leveling of Virtual Nodes Running Real-Time Control inProcess Control Systems,” which claims priority to and the benefit ofthe filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/859,508,filed on Jun. 10, 2019 and entitled “Industrial Control SystemArchitecture for Real-Time Simulation and Control,” the entiredisclosures of which are hereby expressly incorporated by referenceherein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This patent application relates generally to industrial and processcontrol systems and, more particularly, to an industrial control systemthat provides simulation of process control and/or run-time actualprocess control using virtualized components.

BACKGROUND

Process or industrial control systems, like those used in chemical,petroleum or other industrial process plants to produce physicalproducts from materials, typically include one or more processcontrollers communicatively coupled to one or more field devices viaanalog, digital or combined analog/digital buses, or via a wirelesscommunication link or network. The field devices, which may be, forexample, valves, valve positioners, switches and transmitters (e.g.,temperature, pressure, level and flow rate sensors), are located withinthe process environment and generally perform physical or processcontrol functions such as opening or closing valves, measuring processparameters, etc., to control one or more processes executing within theprocess plant or system. Smart field devices, such as the field devicesconforming to the well-known FOUNDATION® Fieldbus protocol may alsoperform control calculations, alarming functions, and other controlfunctions commonly implemented within the controller. The processcontrollers, which may be centrally located but which may also belocated within the plant environment in a distributed manner, receivesignals indicative of process measurements made by the field devicesand/or other information pertaining to the field devices and execute acontroller application that runs, for example, different control modulesthat make process control decisions, generate control signals based onthe received information and coordinate with the control modules orblocks being performed in the field devices, such as HART®,WirelessHART®, and FOUNDATION® Fieldbus field devices. The controlmodules in the controller send the control signals over thecommunication lines or links to the field devices to thereby control theoperation of at least a portion of the process plant or system.

Information from the field devices and the controller is usually madeavailable from the controllers over a data highway to one or more otherhardware devices, such as operator workstations, personal computers orcomputing devices, data historians, report generators, centralizeddatabases, or other centralized administrative computing devices thatare typically placed in control rooms or other locations away from theharsher plant environment. Each of these hardware devices typically iscentralized across the process plant or across a portion of the processplant. These hardware devices execute applications that may, forexample, enable an engineer to configure portions of the process or anoperator to perform functions with respect to controlling a processand/or operating the process plant, such as changing settings of theprocess control routine, modifying the operation of the control moduleswithin the controllers or the field devices, viewing the current stateof the process, viewing alarms generated by field devices andcontrollers, simulating the operation of the process for the purpose oftraining personnel or testing the process control software, keeping andupdating a configuration database, etc. The data highway utilized by thehardware devices, controllers and field devices may include a wiredcommunication path, a wireless communication path, or a combination ofwired and wireless communication paths.

As an example, the DeltaV™ control system, sold by Emerson ProcessManagement, includes multiple applications stored within and executed bydifferent devices located at diverse places within a process plant. Aconfiguration application, which resides in one or more workstations orcomputing devices, enables users to create or change process controlmodules and to download these process control modules via a data highwayto dedicated distributed controllers. Typically, these control modulesare made up of communicatively interconnected function blocks, which areobjects in an object-oriented programming protocol that performfunctions within the control scheme based on inputs thereto and thatprovide outputs to other function blocks within the control scheme. Theconfiguration application may also allow a configuration designer tocreate or change operator interfaces that are used by a viewingapplication to display data to an operator and to enable the operator tochange settings, such as set points, within the process controlroutines. Each dedicated controller and, in some cases, one or morefield devices, stores and executes a respective controller applicationthat runs the control modules assigned and downloaded thereto toimplement actual process control functionality. The viewingapplications, which may be executed on one or more operator workstations(or on one or more remote computing devices in communicative connectionwith the operator workstations and the data highway), receive data fromthe controller application via the data highway and display this data toprocess control system designers, operators, or users using the userinterfaces, and may provide any of a number of different views, such asan operator's view, an engineer's view, a technician's view, etc. A datahistorian application is typically stored in and executed by a datahistorian device that collects and stores some or all of the dataprovided across the data highway while a configuration databaseapplication may run in a still further computer attached to the datahighway to store the current process control routine configuration anddata associated therewith. Alternatively, the configuration database maybe located in the same workstation as the configuration application.

The architecture of currently known process control plants and processcontrol systems is strongly influenced by limited controller and devicememory, communications bandwidth, and controller and device processorcapability. For example, in currently known process control systemarchitectures, the use of dynamic and static non-volatile memory in thecontroller is usually minimized or, at the least, managed carefully. Asa result, during system configuration (e.g., a priori), a user orconfiguration engineer typically must choose which data in thecontroller is to be archived or saved, the frequency at which it will besaved, and whether or not compression is used, and the controller isaccordingly configured with this limited set of data rules.Consequently, data which could be useful in troubleshooting and processanalysis is often not archived, and if it is collected, the usefulinformation may have been lost due to data compression.

Additionally, to minimize controller memory usage in currently knownprocess control systems, selected data that is to be archived or saved(as indicated by the configuration of the controller) is reported to theworkstation or computing device for storage at an appropriate datahistorian or data silo. The current techniques used to report the datapoorly utilizes communication resources and induces excessive controllerloading. Additionally, due to the time delays in communication andsampling at the historian or silo, the data collection and time stampingis often out of sync with the actual process.

Similarly, in batch process control systems, to minimize controllermemory usage, batch recipes and snapshots of controller configurationtypically remain stored at a centralized administrative computing deviceor location (e.g., at a data silo or historian), and are onlytransferred to a controller when needed. Such a strategy introducessignificant burst loads in the controller and in communications betweenthe workstation or centralized administrative computing device and thecontroller.

Further, the current architecture of industrial control systems, such asprocess control systems, is largely hardware driven in that variousfunctions, such as control functions, input/output (I/O) functions, userinterface functions, etc. are performed in and are tied to specificpieces of hardware (e.g., user workstations or interface devices,process controllers, safety system controllers, dedicated I/O devices,marshalled I/O devices, field devices, safety logic solvers, etc.) andremain stored in the specific hardware at all times. For example, incurrent process control systems, interconnections between controllersand I/O devices (e.g., either individual I/O devices, or banks ofmarshalled I/O devices) are configured based on particular hardware, andconsequently, physical I/O relationships are tightly bound, mostcommonly in a one-to-one manner, e.g., I/O device to controller, anotherI/O device to another controller, etc. This architectural design limitsthe resiliency, reliability, availability, responsiveness, and theelasticity of the control system, as these systems are difficult tochange or reconfigure quickly, are tightly tied to proprietary hardwareused to implement proprietary control software, require hardwareredundancy on a device by device basis that can be expensive toimplement, and are not easily scalable or able to be upgraded withoutadding additional hardware that needs to be configured in particularmanners, for example, due to size limitations of individual devices suchas physical process controllers, particular characteristics andcapabilities of I/O devices, etc.

Some attempts at addressing these issues include virtualizing physicalcontrollers; however, controller virtualization has been limited tooff-line development and test systems, and has not been widely utilized,if at all, for run-time process control in physical plant and/orproduction environments. Moreover, both virtualized controllers andphysical controllers remain subject to the limitations of physical I/Odevices, such as performance, bandwidth, throughput, etc.

SUMMARY

A novel, multi-purpose hardware/software architecture or platform fordynamic simulation and/or run-time production process control thatenables an industrial or process control system of an industrial processplant to be more resilient, responsive, and elastic as compared to knownindustrial or process control systems. More particularly, this novelarchitecture or platform, to a large extent, decouples the hardware usedin the control system from the software that governs the behavior of thehardware, making the system easier to scale, reconfigure, and change, aswell as improving overall system reliability, availability, andperformance. For ease of discussion, the novel Multi-Purpose DynamicSimulation and run-time Control platform or architecture is referred tointerchangeably herein by the “MPDSC,” “the MPDSC platform,” “the MPDSCsystem, or “the MPDSC architecture.”

Generally speaking, the MPDSC includes a virtual process environmentcoupled to a physical process environment, where components of thevirtual and physical environments cooperate to perform dynamicsimulation and/or run-time (e.g., actual or operational) productionprocess control of the industrial process plant. For run-time processcontrol, the MPDSC platform supports Process Control Systems (PCSs)which may include virtual components, physical components, and/or bothvirtual and physical components that cooperate to monitor and controlbatch and/or continuous industrial processes during run-time of theplant. In some arrangements, the MPDSC platform also supports SafetyInstrumented Systems (SISs) which may have both virtual and physicalcomponents that cooperate to maintain safe operations and providefailsafe operations of the plant during run-time. Virtual nodes thatperform run-time, operational process control and/or related run-timefunctions (e.g., in conjunction with one or more physical devices orcomponents disposed in the physical environment of the process plant)are referred to herein as “virtual run-time nodes.”

The MPDSC platform may additionally or alternatively support asimulation environment or space which may be utilized for control and/orsafety system and/or component testing, validation, verification, and/orcheck out, operator training, case studies, on-going processimprovements, etc. For simulation purposes, the MPDSC platform providesvirtual nodes that simulate one or more physical devices, modules, orcomponents that are deployable within the physical process environment.Virtual nodes that simulate various devices, modules, and/or componentsthat are deployable in the physical environment of the process plant arereferred to herein as “simulated nodes.”

The simulation provided by the MPDSC platform is “dynamic,” assimulations of the process plant or portions thereof may execute inreal-time, thereby mirroring the timing and other behaviors that (would)occur during run-time, and/or simulations may be manipulated to executeat a faster or slower pace than real-time execution, to use differentvalues, initial conditions, intermediate conditions, etc. The simulationspace provides various features such as, for example, save/restorecapabilities for various simulated scenarios, editable initial and/orintermediate conditions for various scenarios, coordination withthird-party simulators via various protocols, testing and checkout ofoperator display views, real-time simulation of one or more portions ofthe PCS, speed-up and/or slow-down of the simulation of the one or moreportions of the PCS, simulations that include simulated componentsoperating in conjunction with actual (e.g., non-simulated) virtualand/or physical components, change management and synchronization withplant configuration, etc. The MPDSC platform is able to simultaneouslysupport both simulation and run-time operations, various interactionsand intersections between simulation and run-time operations (e.g.,testing of upgrades, patches, “what-if” scenarios, configurationchanges, user input changes, and the like. Further, with the MPDSCplatform, system redundancy, fault tolerance, switchovers, plannedmaintenance, etc. are able to be seamlessly and easily accomplished.

One of the key components of the MPDSC architecture is referred toherein as an “I/O Switch” or an “I/O Server,” which generally abstractsI/O of the process plant away from being specifically and directlyassociated with particular hardware, as well as performs other functionsrelated to I/O for simulation and/or run-time process control. The I/OSwitch or I/O Server is a node that, during run-time, delivers I/O databetween virtual and/or physical nodes of the process plant. Each node(whether virtual or physical) is typically a component of the processplant that is identified within the MPDSC system by a unique name, tag,or identifier. For example, a node may be a physical or virtualcontroller, a field device, a safety information controller, a safetylogic solver, an I/O card or device (e.g., a wireless I/O device, anEthernet I/O device, a marshalled I/O cabinet or components thereof,etc.), an operator workstation, another type of user interface device, atool (e.g., diagnostic tool, simulation tool, etc.), a gateway, a datastorage device, or other type of component. Generally speaking, the I/OSwitch operates as a data broker between virtual and/or physical nodes,where the I/O Switch delivers or switches I/O data (also referred tointerchangeably herein as “process I/O data,” or “PIO data”) betweensource nodes (whether virtual or physical) and destination nodes(whether virtual or physical). In a sense, rather than tightly and/orspecifically coupling physical I/O cards to different source anddestination nodes to deliver process I/O, the I/O Switch virtualizes thephysical delivery mechanisms of process I/O data between nodes of theMPDSC system, and loosens the bindings between hardware components thatare utilized for the purposes of delivering I/O data. Moreover, the I/OSwitch is configured to be able to deliver I/O data quickly enough(e.g., with sufficiently small delay) to support run-time, actualproduction process control and/or real-time simulation of productionprocess control.

Generally speaking, virtual and physical nodes/components that areserviced by the I/O Switch or I/O Server include respective modules thatgovern the behavior of virtual and physical nodes or components. Suchmodules are referred to herein as “component behavior modules” or“CBMs,” examples of which include control modules in controllers, safetylogic in safety logic solvers, and other types of modules that governthe behavior and operations of the components in which the modules arestored and executed, and at least in part by operating on I/O data.Within the MPDSC system, CBMs that operate on the process-relatedpayload of the I/O data are agnostic or unaware of the I/O Switch andits role in delivering I/O data to/from the component behavior modules.That is, the CBMs are unaware of whether or not their respective I/Odelivery mechanism to/from their host node is a physical I/O card or theI/O Switch.

As such, the I/O Switch may be viewed as a switching fabric, router,and/or delivery mechanism of I/O data that is transparent to ComponentBehavior Modules of the MPDSC system. To this end, the I/O Switchdelivers I/O data between virtual and/or physical nodes via respectivepublish/subscribe layers of the nodes (also referred to interchangeablyherein as a “Pub/Sub layer”) and a virtual communication network viawhich I/O payload or data is transferred between nodes. For example, asending or publishing node may include a respective Pub/Sub layer thatpublishes, to the virtual communication network, data generated by thecomponent behavior module of the sending node. The I/O Switch maydeliver or switch the published data to nodes that are receivers of orsubscribers to the data, and each subscriber node may recover the datavia its respective Pub/Sub layer for consumption by its respectivecomponent behavior module. As such, the I/O Switch brokers data betweenpublisher nodes and subscriber nodes on a demand basis, in accordancewith the defined relationships of the nodes within the MPDSC system.

As utilized herein, the “physical environment” of the MPDSC platform orsystem refers to the production plant or environment in which physical,tangible components (e.g., field devices, tanks, valves, actuators,heaters, evaporators, sensors, etc.) are utilized to transform, viarun-time controlled processes, physical materials into physicalproducts. Accordingly, the “physical environment” is interchangeablyreferred to herein as the “plant environment” of the industrial processplant. As discussed above, the physical or plant environment includes afront-end portion in which physical or hardware components of the MPDSCsystem such as field devices, sensors, transmitters, switches,positioners, tanks, heaters, etc. are disposed and operate on physicalmaterials to produce physical products. As such, the “front-end” portionof the physical environment is interchangeably referred to herein as the“field” or “site” portion of the physical environment of the processplant.

The physical or plant environment of the MPDSC system also includes aback-end portion in which physical or hardware components such asoperator workstations, personal computers or computing devices, datahistorians, report generators, centralized databases, and/or othercentralized (or at least partly centralized) administrative computingdevices execute applications to, for example, configure the processplant and/or its components, view and monitor run-time operations of theplant, respond to alerts or alarms during run-time operations of theplant, adjust parameters during run-time operations of the plant,generate reports, store and analyze data, and the like. The back-endportion of the physical environment of the MPDSC system may be locatedin areas that are protected from the harsher field environment, such asin an on-site, enclosed room and/or in locations that are off-site orremote from the field environment.

The virtual environment of the MPDSC system is implemented usingphysical or hardware computing devices that are particularly configuredand interconnected to provide a platform that supports thevirtualization of various physical process plant components, as isdescribed in more detail in later sections of this disclosure. Generallyspeaking, the physical computing devices that provide and support thevirtualization platform may be physically located on-site at the plant(e.g., in protected, enclosed areas of the field environment), may bephysically located off-site, or may be physically and distributivelylocated among various on-site and off-site locations. The physicalcomputing devices that provide and support the virtualization platformmay be interconnected via any number of physical data links and/or orcommunication/data networks. Generally speaking, the physical computingdevices, data links, and communication/data networks form a computingplatform on which various logical or virtual components of the MPDSCsystem reside, where the various logical or virtual components may beutilized for run-time process control in conjunction with components ofthe physical process environment, and/or for process simulationpurposes.

The logical or virtual components residing in the virtual environment ofthe MPDSC system may operate to provide simulation of one or more actualor planned physical portions of the MPDSC system (e.g., in real-time, atfaster speeds, and/or at slower speeds, if desired). In someimplementations, the logical or virtual components residing in thevirtual environment of the MPDSC system and the physical componentsresiding in the physical environment of the MPDSC system maycooperatively operate to provide simulation and/or run-time, actualproduction process control. As such, in some embodiments, the physicaland virtual environments of the MPDSC platform are communicativelyconnected via one or more communication links and/or networks, where thecommunication links and/or networks may include any number of wiredlinks and/or networks, wireless links and/or networks, private linksand/or networks, public links and/or networks. Embodiments ofstand-alone, virtual real-time simulation and embodiments of cooperationbetween the logical/virtual and physical components of the industrialcontrol system and communicative connections therebetween are describedin more detail in later sections of this disclosure.

Further, the virtual and physical environments of the MPDSC platformutilize or share a common (e.g., the same) system configurationdatabase, which is referred to herein as the “MPDSC system configurationdatabase.” As such, via the MPDSC system configuration database, variousvirtual and physical components may be uniquely identified within theMPDSC platform across both virtual and physical environments, andintersections between simulation and run-time operations (e.g., testing,switchovers, etc.) are able to be seamlessly and easily accomplished.

In an embodiment, a system of an industrial process plant includes aplurality of virtual nodes that is disposed in a virtual environment ofthe industrial process plant. The plurality of virtual nodes operate,during run-time operations of the industrial process plant, to controlan industrial process by publishing data to an I/O switch andsubscribing to data published by the I/O switch. The I/O switchcommunicatively connects the plurality of virtual nodes to a pluralityof physical nodes that are disposed in a physical environment of theindustrial process plant and that include at least one field device. Theplurality of physical nodes operates, during the run-time operations ofthe industrial process plant, to control the industrial process bysending data to and receiving data from the plurality of virtual nodesvia the I/O switch. The plurality of virtual nodes virtualize at leastone of: (i) one or more physical components that are deployable withinthe physical environment of the industrial process plant to control theindustrial process, or (ii) one or more sub-components of the one ormore physical components, e.g., by utilizing respective one or morecomponent behavior modules stored on each virtual node.

In an embodiment, a method at an industrial process plant includes,during run-time operations of the industrial process plant, detectingand/or predicting one or more conditions occurring at a virtualizationplatform on which a plurality of virtual nodes of a process controlsystem is implemented while the plurality of virtual nodes is operatingto control an industrial process, e.g., by publishing data to an I/Oswitch and subscribing to data published by the I/O switch. Theplurality of virtual nodes is disposed in a virtual environment of theindustrial process plant. The I/O switch is included in the processcontrol system and communicatively connects the plurality of virtualnodes to a plurality of physical nodes of the process control system.The plurality of physical nodes is disposed in a physical environment ofthe industrial process plant and includes at least one field device.Further, the plurality of physical nodes operates, during the run-timeoperations of the industrial process plant, to control the industrialprocess by sending data to and receiving data from the plurality ofvirtual nodes via the I/O switch. The method additionally includes,during the run-time operations of the industrial process plant,balancing at least one of a load or performance levels corresponding tothe plurality of virtual nodes based on the detected and/or predictedone or more conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example multi-purpose dynamic simulationand run-time industrial or process control (MPDSC) system that providesdynamic simulation and/or run-time industrial or process control of aprocess plant.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating embodiments of example virtualnode architectures which may be included in the MPDSC system of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is an example arrangement of a physical plant environment whichthe MPDSC system of FIG. 1 may support.

FIG. 4 depicts an example arrangement of multiple I/O Switches, whichmay be at least partially implemented in the MPDSC system of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example virtualizationmanagement system via which at least portions of the MPDSC system ofFIG. 1 may be configured and administered.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of an example method of balancing a load and/orperformance levels of virtual nodes that are performing real-timecontrol in a process control system of an industrial process plant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example multi-purpose dynamic simulationand run-time industrial or process control (MPDSC) system or platform 10that provides dynamic simulation and/or run-time process control of anindustrial or process plant. The example MPDSC platform 10 supportsdynamic simulation of process control of the industrial process plantand/or real-time process control using virtualized devices. For example,the virtualized devices may be utilized by the MPDSC platform 10 forphysical production purposes during run-time of the process plant. Asshown in FIG. 1 , the MPDSC platform 10 includes a virtual plantenvironment portion 12 and a physical plant environment portion 15;however, in embodiments in which the MPDSC platform 10 is utilizedsolely for real-time simulation purposes, the physical plant environmentportion 15 may be omitted. Generally speaking, the virtual plantenvironment portion 12 and the physical plant environment portion 15collectively form one or more Operations Technology (OT) layers 18 ofthe industrial process plant, which may provide generated data to one ormore Information Technology (IT) layers 20 associated with theindustrial process plant and/or to networks that are external to the ITlayers, e.g., for enterprise and/or external use by one or moreapplications 21 a-21 n, 22 a-22 m. For example, applications 21 a-21 mmay be provided by the enterprise that owns/operates the MPDSC platform10 and may execute in an IT layer associated with the enterprise, andapplications 22 a-22 m may be Internet of Things (loT) and/or IndustrialInternet of Things (IIoT) applications provided by respectivethird-parties that execute in remote networks which are accessed via theInternet or other public network.

The IT layers 20 of the enterprise may be implemented in any number oflocally and/or remotely disposed computing devices, such as one or morelocal and/or remote server banks, one or more computing clouds, etc.,and may include any number of applications or consumers 21 a-21 n ofdata generated by the OT layers 18 of the enterprise. Typically (but notnecessarily), and as shown in FIG. 1 , the OT layers 18 arecommunicatively coupled to the IT layers 20 via one or more publicand/or private communications networks 24 and one or more edge gatewaysystems 28, where the edge gateway system(s) 28 provide security andefficiencies of data delivery between the OT layers 18/MPDSC platform 10and the IT layers 20. Further, the one or more edge gateway systems 28may provide security and efficiencies of data delivery between the MPDSCplatform 10 and external networks and/or external applications 22.

In FIG. 1 , the virtual plant environment 12 of the MPDSC platform 10includes one or more Virtual Nodes (VNs) 30 a, 30 b, 30 c, . . . , 30 pthat are communicatively connected with an I/O Switch (which isinterchangeably referred to herein as an “I/O Server”) 25. Generallyspeaking, each Virtual Node 30 x is a virtual machine that simulates orvirtualizes the behavior of a respective physical component which may beoperable within the physical plant environment 15. Said another way,each Virtual Node 30 x within the virtual plant environment 12 processesdata and behaves in the same manner in which its physical counterpartwithin the physical plant environment 15 would process data and behave.

In particular, each Virtual Node 30 x includes a framework and one ormore subsystems 32 that allow the VN 30 x to communicate with otherVirtual Nodes 30 x within the virtual plant environment 12 and/or withone or more Physical Nodes (PNs) within the physical plant environment15, such as Physical Nodes 40 a, 40 b, 40 c and the Edge Gateway System28 (where the Edge Gateway 28 may be viewed as a particular type of PN),each of which includes respective frameworks and respective one or moresubsystems 42 x that allow communications with Virtual Nodes 30 x.Additionally, the MPDSC platform 10 may include any number of otherphysical nodes or components (e.g., PNa-PNk).

Virtual Nodes may virtualize different types of Physical Nodes.Generally speaking, as utilized herein, a “Physical Node” is a physicaldevice or component of the MPDSC platform 10 that includes hardware andthat transmits and/or receives data to/from other devices or components(whether virtual or physical). Examples of types Physical Nodes whichmay be represented by respective Virtual Nodes include, but are notlimited to: various types of process control controllers; various typesof local and/or remote I/O devices or cards (such as Wireless I/O Cards(WIOCs), Ethernet I/O Cards (EIOCs), etc.), and various components ofI/O electronic marshalling systems (such as CHARacterization Modules(CHARMs), terminal blocks, CHARM I/O Cards (CIOCs), etc.); various typesof Safety Instrumented System (SIS) nodes such as safety controllers,safety logic solvers, SIS repeaters, safety network bridges, safetynetwork gateways, etc.; user interface devices including local and/orremote physical operator workstations, mobile devices, and/or othercomputing devices that provide user interfaces for run-time operationsand/or for other purposes related to the MPDSC platform 10; local and/orremote physical computing devices that provide tools related to theMPDSC platform 10, such as control configuration tools, dataconsolidation and viewing tools, data analytics and analyticsconfiguration tools, display view configuration tools, diagnostic tools,asset management tools, application stations, etc.; various types ofgateways utilized within and/or by the MPDSC platform 10, such aswireless gateways, safety gateways, firewalls, edge gateways, fieldgateways, inter-system gateways, etc.; and other types of physical nodeswhich may be utilized within a physical plant environment 15.

In some embodiments, a single VN 30 x may represent or virtualize anentire Physical Node. In some embodiments, a single VN 30 x mayrepresent or virtualize one or more portions of a particular PhysicalNode. For example, a single VN 30 x may represent or virtualize aparticular module or group of modules executing or residing at theparticular PN, where such modules may include software modules orcomponents, firmware modules components, and/or hardware modules orcomponents. For example, a first VN may represent or virtualize anentire application executing on the particular PN (such as the entiretyof a control module which is executable on a physical processcontroller), a second VN may represent or virtualize a subset of theentire application executing on the particular PN (such as a particularcontrol model, function, or routine utilized by the control module), athird VN may represent or virtualize the behavior of a protocol-specificI/O card or device associated with the particular PN, and/or a fourth VNmay represent or virtualize a PN sub-component as granular as a hardwaresub-component of the particular PN (e.g., a port or other interface, abus, a transceiver, a chip, a board, etc.), or a firmware or softwaresub-component of the particular PN (e.g., a module, a routine, afunction or behavior, a networking address of the particular PN, such asa MAC (Media Access Control) address or other type of addresses, etc.).

Examples of types of physical I/O cards which may be utilized within thephysical plant environment 15 and which may be represented and/orvirtualized by Virtual Nodes 30 x of the MPDSC 10 include, but are notlimited to:

discrete output cards, including high density, intrinsically safe, andredundant discrete output cards;

discrete input cards, including high density, intrinsically safe, andredundant discrete input cards;

analog input cards, including analog input cards that support the HART®(Highway Addressable Remote Transducer) communication protocol,redundant analog input cards that support HART, high density redundantanalog input cards that support HART, and fast analog input cards;

analog output cards, including analog output cards that support HART,redundant analog output cards that support HART, high density redundantanalog output cards that support HART, and fast analog output cards;

serial cards, including redundant, programmable, and redundantprogrammable serial cards;

interface cards for discrete actuators and/or sensors, RTD (ResistanceTemperature Detector) cards, thermocouple cards, millivolt cards,isolated temperature cards, multifunction cards, sequence of eventscards, that support the Fieldbus communication protocol, redundantFieldbus-supporting cards, cards that support the Profibus communicationprotocol, redundant Profibus-supporting cards, and other types ofphysical cards.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 , the VNs 30 a, 30 b, 30 c, . . . , 30 pcommunicate with each other and with the I/O Switch 25 via respectivePublication/Subscription Layers 32 a, 32 b, 32 c, . . . , 32 p and 35,which are referred to interchangeably herein as “Pub/Sub Layers,” andwhich are denoted in FIG. 1 by the respective hash-marked portions 32 x,35 of each VN 30 x and of the I/O Switch 25. In embodiments of the MPDSCplatform 10 in which Physical Nodes are included, such as illustrated inFIG. 1 , at least some of the PNs 28, 40 a, 40 b, 40 c disposed in thephysical plant environment 15 may include respective Pub/Sub Layers 38,42 a, 42 b, 42 c. In a sense, the Pub/Sub Layers 32 x, 35 (and, in somearrangements, Pub/Sub Layers 38, 42 x) serve as a virtual communicationnetwork 45 via which various Virtual Nodes 30 x and the I/O Switch 25(and, in some arrangements, the Physical Nodes 40 x) may communicateabstracted I/O data. In an example implementation, each Pub/Sub Layer 32x, 35, 38, 42 x is a respective interface to the virtual communicationnetwork 45.

The virtual communication network 45 may be implemented by one or morephysical communications and/or data links and/or networks, which mayinclude wired and/or wireless networks, and which may be implementedusing any suitable technology, such as Ethernet, optical, IP, anothertype other packet network, etc. Data is communicated between nodes ofthe via the virtual communication network 45 via publication andsubscription, and any or more suitable communication protocols thatsupport publication and subscription may be utilized within the virtualcommunication network 45 for the delivery of data. For example, privatepacket protocols and/or public or standardized packet protocols (such asIPv6, IoT, and/or IIoT protocols) may be utilized for publication of andsubscription to I/O data that is delivered between various nodes 30 x,28, 40 x of the virtual communication network 45 and, optionally, toother applications 21 x, 22 x, e.g., by way of edge gateway systems 28.

For example, each node of the virtual communication network 45 (e.g.,Virtual Nodes 30 x, I/O switch 25, Physical Nodes 28, 40 x, etc.) maypublish I/O data to the virtual communication network 45 via itsrespective Pub/Sub Layer (e.g., via Pub/Sub Layers 32 x, 35, 38, 42 x,etc.), and each node of the virtual communication network 45 (e.g.,Virtual Nodes 30 x, I/O switch 25, Physical Nodes 28, 40 x, etc.) maysubscribe to and obtain I/O data that is published to the virtualcommunication network 45 via its respective Pub/Sub Layer (e.g., viaPub/Sub Layers 32 x, 35, 38, 42 x, etc.). Typically, subscriptions tovarious published data have a one-to-one correspondence between the I/OSwitch 25 and each of the other nodes 30 x, 28, 40 x. In a preferredembodiment, each node 30 x, 28, 40 x of the virtual communicationnetwork 45 accepts subscriptions only from the I/O Switch 25 and notfrom other nodes, and each node 30 x, 28, 40 x subscribes to only I/Odata that is published by the I/O Switch 25 (where the I/O datapublished by the I/O Switch 25 may be forwarded data that was generatedby other nodes and to which the I/O Switch 25 has subscribed) and not toI/O data published by other nodes. As such, in this preferred one-to-oneembodiment, undirected graphs of publication/subscription relationshipsare restricted as compared to embodiments that allow nodes to havemultiple subscriptions with multiple other nodes, thereby reducingnetwork complexity, simplifying network diagnosis and management, anddecreasing network load/utilization. To further reduce networkcomplexity, simplify network diagnosis and management, and decreasenetwork load/utilization, additionally or alternatively each node 30 x,28, 40 x of the virtual communication network 45 may send, to the I/OSwitch 25 via publication, only data that is to be forwarded by the I/OSwitch 25 to other nodes of the MPDSC platform 10. Of course, in someembodiments, at least portions of undirected graphs may be implementedin one-to-many, many-to-one, and/or many-to-many relationships, ifdesired.

Generally speaking, within the MPDSC platform 10, process-relatedpayload data (e.g., as generated by CBMs and/or physical components ofthe process plant) is abstracted and published as I/O data, and may bedelivered to subscriber nodes of the virtual communication network 45 ona demand basis. That is, I/O data may be delivered (e.g., viapublication) when the publishing node determines that theprocess-related data payload requires a new publish event. For example,a publishing node may automatically publish, to the virtualcommunication network, a certain type of sensor-generated data as I/Odata when the sensor-generated data value changes. Optionally, thepublishing node may publish, as I/O data, the sensor-generated datavalue periodically (e.g., every five seconds, ten seconds, one minute,etc.) even when the sensor-generated data value has not changed, e.g.,to thereby mitigate lost messages and other fidelity issues which maypossibly arise. As such, in some embodiments, no explicit subscriptionrate is required and/or utilized by subscriber nodes. Consequently,execution of the processing logic (e.g., the component behavior module)at each subscriber node is driven by incoming data that is subscribed toand received via virtual communication network 45, and accordingly,resources utilized by each node and by the virtual communication network45 may be more efficiently utilized.

In an example illustrative scenario, VN 30 a may generate and publish,as I/O data during run-time, a certain set of process-related payloaddata, e.g., “Data1,” to its Pub/Sub Layer 32 a. The I/O Switch or Server25 may have a subscription to I/O data that includes Data1, and mayobtain the process-related payload Data1 via the virtual communicationnetwork 45, its respective Pub/Sub Layer 35, and its respectivesubscription. In turn, the I/O Switch or Server 25 may publish theobtained, process-related payload Data1 as I/O data to the virtualcommunication network 45 via its Pub/Sub Layer 35 for receipt by thosenodes that have subscriptions to I/O data that includes Data1. Forexample, VN 30 b may have a subscription to I/O data that includesData1, and upon publication of Data1 as I/O data via the Pub/Sub Layer35 of the I/O Switch 25, VN 30 b may obtain the process-related payloadData1 via the virtual communication network 45, its respective Pub/SubLayer 32 b, and its subscription thereto. Subsequently, VN 30 b mayoperate upon the obtained process-related payload Data1 values.

Thus, the MPDSC platform 10 abstracts multiple different types of I/Othat is utilized in and native to various physical components ofindustrial process plants (e.g., discrete output, discrete input, analogoutput, analog input, serial I/O, Railbus, HART, wireless HART,Fieldbus, Profibus, Ethernet, Advanced Physical Layer, and/or any othertypes of I/O) for delivery amongst virtual and physical nodes via theI/O Switch 25 and the virtual communication network 45 via publicationand subscription. Each node of the virtual communication network 45 mayperform respective abstraction and de-abstraction (e.g., recovery) ofI/O data that it sends and receives via its respective Pub/Sub Layerand, optionally, other subsystems.

Virtual Nodes

To illustrate I/O abstraction and de-abstraction, FIG. 2 illustrates twoexample architectural embodiments 52a, 52b of a Virtual Node 30 x.Generally speaking, a Virtual Node 30 x simulates and/or virtualizes aPhysical Node or physical component which may be utilized and operatewithin the physical plant environment 15. Each VN 52 a, 52 b includes arespective Pub/Sub Layer 55 a, 55 b via which the VN 52 a, 52 bcommunicates with the I/O Switch 25. Additionally, each VN 52 a, 52 bincludes a respective Component Behavior Module 58 a, 58 b, which isinterchangeably referred to herein as a “Component Business LogicModule” 58 a, 58 b or a “CBM” 58 a, 58 b. Generally speaking, a CBM 58 xis a module whose execution governs the operating behavior of itsrespective Virtual Node 30 x, e.g., at an application level. Forexample, the CBM 58 x of a Virtual Controller Node may be a particularinstance of a control module, where other instances of the controlmodule may be downloaded into physical controllers disposed in thephysical plant environment 15 for execution during run-time of thephysical plant 15. In another example, the CBM 58 x of a Virtual CIOCNode may be a particular instance of a remote I/O module, where otherinstances of the remote I/O module may execute, during run-time of thephysical plant environment 15, at physical CIOCs disposed therein.

As CBMs 58 x may execute within physical components, CBMs typically arenatively conversant in one or more corresponding native I/O types, suchas analog input/output, Fieldbus, Railbus, etc. Further, CBMs 58 xtypically have no knowledge as to whether they are executing on aVirtual Node 30 x of the virtual plant environment 12, on a PhysicalNode 40 x disposed within the physical plant environment 15, or onanother physical component disposed within the physical plantenvironment 15, e.g., nodes PNa-PNk. As such, a CBM 58 x sends andreceives data in a same manner and using the same processing logic andI/O type irrespective of whether the CBM 58 x is executing in thevirtual plant environment 12 or in the physical plant environment 15.

In the embodiment of the Virtual Node 52 a, process-related payload datathat is sent and received by the CBM 58 a is abstracted for deliveryto/from the VN 52 a via a Virtual Process I/O (PIO) Subsystem 60.Generally speaking, the Virtual PIO Subsystem 60 simulates native,physical PIO delivery for the Virtual Node 52 a. That is, duringrun-time of the Virtual Node 52 a, the Virtual PIO Subsystem 60communicates I/O process values and events to/from the CBM 58 a usingits native I/O, e.g., as though the I/O process values and events wereoriginating from/being delivered to physical hardware. As such, theVirtual PIO Subsystem 60 may be tailored for the specific type of theVirtual Node 52 a, where the Virtual Node type is governed by its CBM 58a. For example, if the VN 52 a represents a physical controller thatcommunicates with other devices using Railbus I/O, then the Virtual PIOSubsystem 60 provides I/O data to/from the control routine CBM 58 a inthe form that is utilized by Railbus I/O cards. If the VN 52 arepresents a CIOC, then the Virtual PIO Subsystem 60 provides I/O datato/from the remote I/O CBM 58 a in the form that is utilized by CHARMs.

Further, the Virtual PIO Subsystem 60 may handle data publication andsubscription on behalf of the Virtual Node 52 a. That is, the VirtualPIO Subsystem 60 may publish data generated by the CBM 58 a to thePub/Sub Layer 55 a, and the Virtual PIO Subsystem 60 may subscribe todata generated by other nodes (and forwarded by the I/O Switch 25) viathe Pub/Sub Layer 55 a. In an embodiment, subscriptions to andpublications of data may be based on a tag or other identifier that isunique within the MPDSC platform 10. The tag or other identifier mayuniquely identify data, a node, a device, or a component of the MPDSCplatform 10, for example. In an embodiment, the tags and/or identifiersmay be assigned during configuration and/or commissioning.

As such, at each virtual node 52 a within the virtual environment 12,the Virtual PIO Subsystem 60 maintains a logical separation between theCBM 58 a and corresponding physical I/O (e.g., via Pub/Sub Layer 55 a,virtual communication network 45, and other Pub/Sub Layers 32, 35, 38,42), similar to the logical separation maintained within the physicalenvironment 15 at each physical node having an on-board CBM 58 a and itscorresponding physical I/O (e.g., via a physical I/O card or marshalledI/O arrangement). Generally speaking, the Virtual PIO subsystem 60 ofany Virtual Node 30 maintains a logical separation between any I/Osubscriber (the CBM 58 a, another module, another type of I/O consumer,etc.) that is included in the Virtual Node 30 and its correspondingphysical I/O.

In the embodiment of the Virtual Node 52 b shown in FIG. 2 , the VirtualPIO Subsystem 60 is omitted or is not utilized. Typically, the types ofvirtual nodes that utilize the VN architecture 52 b are those nodeswhose CBMs 58 b are natively able to communicate with the physicalcomponents and technology via which the virtual communication network 45is implemented. For example, if the virtual communication network 45 isimplemented via an IP protocol over Ethernet, then a Virtual Node 52 bthat simulates an EIOC includes a CBM 58 b that is natively configuredto communicate using IP protocol over Ethernet. Consequently, the EIOCVirtual Node 52 b may exclude (or may turn off or ignore the operationof) the Virtual PIO Subsystem 60, and the EIOC Virtual Node 52 b mayhandle delivery of data to/from the Virtual Node of 52 b by using onlythe CBM 58 b and the Pub/Sub Layer 55 b.

Physical Nodes

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example physical plant environment 100in conjunction with the MPDSC platform 10 of FIG. 1 may operate. Forexample, the physical environment portion 15 of the MPDSC platform 10illustrated in FIG. 1 may include at least portions of the physicalplant environment 100.

The physical plant 100 controls an industrial process (or, in someembodiments, operates in conjunction with a virtual plant environment,such as the virtual plant environment 12, to control the industrialprocess), where the industrial process may be said to have one or more“process outputs” characterizing the state of the process (e.g., tanklevels, flow rates, material temperatures, etc.) and one or more“process inputs” (e.g., the state of various environmental conditionsand actuators, the manipulation of which may cause process outputs tochange). The physical process plant 100 of FIG. 3 includes a fieldenvironment 102 and a back-end environment 105, each of which iscommunicatively connected to the other by a process control backbone ordata highway 108, which may include one or more wired and/or wirelesscommunication links and/or networks, and may be implemented using anydesired or suitable communication protocol such as, for example, anEthernet protocol, an IP protocol, or another packet protocol.

At a high level (and as shown in FIG. 3 ), the field environment 102includes physical components (e.g., process control devices, networks,network elements, etc.) that are installed and interconnected to operateto control the industrial process during run-time. By and large, thesephysical components are located, disposed, or otherwise included in thefield environment 102 of the physical process plant 100 in which rawmaterials are received and processed using the physical componentsdisposed therein to thereby generate one or more physical products(e.g., paper, refined oil, pharmaceuticals, etc.). By contrast, theback-end environment 105 of the physical process plant 100 includesvarious physical components such as computing devices, operatorworkstations, databases or databanks, etc. that are shielded and/orprotected from the harsh conditions and materials of the fieldenvironment 102. In some configurations, various computing devices,databases, and other components and equipment included in the back-endenvironment 105 of the physical process plant 100 may be physicallylocated at different physical locations, some of which may be local tothe physical plant 100, and some of which may be remote.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the field environment 102 includes one or moreprocess controllers 110 that are communicatively connected to the datahighway 108. Each of the process controllers 110 may be connected to oneor more intermediary nodes 112, 115 (e.g., I/O cards, I/O devices, I/Osystems, etc.) facilitating communication between the controllers 110and the field devices. Generally speaking, in the process controlindustry, the term “I/O” is sometimes used in a number of related butdifferent contexts. The term generally refers to a logical link orcommunication channel that communicatively couples a field device to anI/O card or controller (e.g., “I/O channel”), but may be used whenreferring to a number of other concepts, such as the physical devicesthat are utilized to transmit signals to or receive signals from fielddevices via I/O channels (e.g., “I/O devices” or “I/O cards”) andconnectors or terminals associated with the I/O devices (e.g., “I/Oconnectors”). I/O devices and I/O cards 112, 115 may be stand-alone,individual physical devices each of which is connected to a respectivecontroller and to one or more respective field devices, such asillustrated in FIG. 3 . In some arrangements (not shown in FIG. 3 ), I/Odevices, cards, connectors, and other I/O-related components such asterminal blocks, modules, processors, etc. are included in an I/Oelectronic marshalling system that enables flexible I/O delivery betweenmultiple controllers and multiple field devices of various types, suchas described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,684,875; 8,332,567; 8,762,618;8,977,851; 9,083,548; 9,411,769; 9,495,313; and 9,946,240, the entirecontents of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein. Assuch, for clarity of discussion and as utilized herein, the term “I/Odevices” refers generally to physical I/O devices, cards, electronicmarshalling systems, and components thereof via which I/O channels areimplemented to thereby communicatively couple field devices andcontrollers.

Still, in the process control industry, the term “I/O” generally may beused to refer to the signals transmitted on the I/O channel (e.g., “I/Osignals”), variables or commands represented by the signals (e.g., “I/Oparameters”), or to the values of the variables or commands carried bythe signals (e.g., “I/O parameter values” or “I/O data payload”).Accordingly, for clarity of discussion and as utilized herein, I/Osignals, I/O parameters, and I/O parameter values are collectively andgenerally referred to herein as “I/O data” or “process I/O data.”

To the extent the term “I/O” is referenced herein without a qualifier,the context of the sentence should make clear which of these concepts isbeing discussed. Further, it should be understood that an “I/O channel”represents a particular type of “communication channel” or “channel.”That is, unless the context of the sentence suggests otherwise,references in this description to the term “channel” or the term“communication channel,” without the qualifier “I/O,” may refer to acommunication link that could be an I/O channel in some implementations,but may also refer to a communication link other than an I/O channel insome implementations.

At any rate, and returning to FIG. 3 , each process controller 110 ofthe physical process plant 100 implements a control strategy defined byone or more control routines (e.g., one or more component behaviormodules), which may be stored in a memory of the controller 110. When aprocessor of the controller executes one or more of the controlroutines, the controller transmits to a field device a control signal(i.e., a “control output”) over wired or wireless process controlcommunication links or networks to other field devices to control theoperation of a process in the plant 100. The controller may generate acontrol signal based on: (i) one or more received signals, which may bereferred to as “control inputs” (e.g., one or more received signalsrepresenting measurements obtained by field devices), and (ii) the logicof the one or more control routines, which may be defined by one or moresoftware elements (e.g., function blocks). Typically, a controllermanipulates a process input (which may be referred to as a “manipulatedvariable”) to change a particular process output (which may be referredto as a “controlled variable” or simply a “process variable”) based onfeedback (i.e., a measurement of the controlled variable) and a desiredvalue for the process output (i.e., a setpoint).

Generally, at least one field device performs a physical function (e.g.,opening or closing a valve, increasing or decreasing a temperature,taking a measurement, sensing a condition, etc.) to control theoperation of a process implemented in the physical process plant 100.Some types of field devices communicate with controllers by using I/Odevices. Process controllers, field devices, and I/O devices may bewired or wireless, and any number and combination of wired and wirelessprocess controllers, field devices, and/or I/O devices may be includedin the process plant environment or platform 100.

The Front-End Environment 102 of the Plant 100

For example, FIG. 3 illustrates a process controller 110 that iscommunicatively connected to wired field devices 125-132 viainput/output (I/O) devices 112 and 115, and that is communicativelyconnected to wireless field devices 140-146 via a wireless gateway 168and the data highway 108. In some configurations (not shown), thecontroller 110 may be communicatively connected to the wireless gateway168 using one or more communications networks other than the backbone108, such as by using any number of other wired or wirelesscommunication links that support one or more communication protocols,e.g., Wi-Fi or other IEEE 802.11 compliant wireless local area networkprotocol, mobile communication protocol (e.g., WiMAX, LTE, or otherITU-R compatible protocol), Bluetooth®, HART®, WirelessHART®, Profibus,FOUNDATION® Fieldbus, etc.

The controller 110, which may be, by way of example, the DeltaV™controller sold by Emerson Process Management, may operate to implementa batch industrial process or a continuous industrial process using atleast some of the field devices 125-132 and 140-146. In an embodiment,in addition to being communicatively connected to the process controldata highway 108, the controller 110 is also communicatively connectedto at least some of the field devices 125-132 and 140-146 using anydesired hardware and software associated with, for example, standard4-20 mA devices, I/O devices 112, 115, and/or any smart communicationprotocol such as the FOUNDATION® Fieldbus protocol, the HART® protocol,the WirelessHART® protocol, etc. In FIG. 3 , the controller 110, thefield devices 125-132 and the I/O devices 112, 115 are wired devices,and the field devices 140-146 are wireless field devices. Of course, thewired field devices 125-132 and wireless field devices 140-146 couldconform to any other desired standard(s) or protocols, such as any wiredor wireless protocols, including any standards or protocols developed inthe future.

The process controller 110 of FIG. 3 includes a processor 120 thatimplements or oversees one or more process control routines 118 (e.g.,that are stored in a memory 122 of the controller 110). The processor120 is configured to communicate with the field devices 125-132 and140-146 and with other nodes communicatively connected to the controller110. It should be noted that any control routines or modules describedherein may have parts thereof implemented or executed by differentcontrollers or other devices if so desired. Likewise, the controlroutines or modules 118 described herein which are to be implementedwithin the process control plant 100 may take any form, includingsoftware, firmware, hardware, etc. Control routines may be implementedin any desired software format, such as using object orientedprogramming, ladder logic, sequential function charts, function blockdiagrams, or using any other software programming language or designparadigm. The control routines 118 may be stored in any desired type ofmemory 122, such as random access memory (RAM), or read only memory(ROM). Likewise, the control routines 118 may be hard-coded into, forexample, one or more EPROMs, EEPROMs, application specific integratedcircuits (ASICs), or any other hardware or firmware elements. Thus, thecontroller 110 may be configured to implement a control strategy orcontrol routine in any desired manner.

The controller 110 implements a control strategy using what are commonlyreferred to as function blocks, where each function block is an objector other part (e.g., a subroutine) of an overall control routine andoperates in conjunction with other function blocks (via communicationscalled links) to implement process control loops within the MPDSCplatform 10. Control based function blocks typically perform one of: (i)an input function, such as that associated with a transmitter, a sensoror other process parameter measurement device (sometimes referred to as“input blocks”); (ii) a control function, such as that associated with acontrol routine that performs PID, fuzzy logic, etc. (sometimes referredto as “control blocks”); or (iii) an output function which controls theoperation of some device, such as a valve, to perform some physicalfunction within the process control plant 100 (sometimes referred to as“output blocks”). Of course, hybrid and other types of function blocksexist.

Function blocks may be stored in and executed by the controller 110,which is typically the case when these function blocks are used for, orare associated with standard 4-20 mA devices and some types of smartfield devices such as HART® devices, or may be stored in and implementedby the field devices themselves, which can be the case with FOUNDATION®Fieldbus devices. One or more of the control routines 118 may implementone or more control loops which are performed by executing one or moreof the function blocks. In a sense, the control routines 118 may beviewed as the component behavior modules of the controller 110.

The wired field devices 125-132 may be any types of devices, such assensors, valves, transmitters, positioners, etc., while the I/O devices112 and 115 may be any types of process control I/O devices conformingto any desired communication or controller protocol. For example, theI/O devices 112, 115 may be included in an I/O electronic marshallingsystem. In FIG. 3 , the field devices 125-128 are standard 4-20 mAdevices or HART® devices that communicate over analog lines or combinedanalog and digital lines to the I/O device 112, while the field devices129-132 are smart devices, such as FOUNDATION® Fieldbus field devices,that communicate over a digital bus to the I/O device 115 using aFOUNDATION® Fieldbus communications protocol. In some embodiments,though, at least some of the wired field devices 125, 126 and 128-131and/or at least some of the I/O devices 112, 115 additionally oralternatively communicate with the controller 110 using the processcontrol data highway 108 and/or by using other suitable control systemprotocols (e.g., Profibus, DeviceNet, Foundation Fieldbus, ControlNet,Modbus, HART, etc.). In some arrangements (not shown in FIG. 3 ), atleast some of the field devices 125-132 may communicate with thecontroller 110 via an electronic I/O marshalling system instead of viaan individual I/O device 112, 115.

In FIG. 3 , the wireless field devices 140-146 communicate via awireless process control communication network 165 using a wirelessprotocol, such as the WirelessHART® protocol. Such wireless fielddevices 140-146 may directly communicate with one or more other devicesor nodes of the wireless network 165 that are also configured tocommunicate wirelessly (using the wireless protocol or another wirelessprotocol, for example). To communicate with one or more other nodes thatare not configured to communicate wirelessly, the wireless field devices140-146 may utilize a wireless gateway 168 connected to the processcontrol data highway 108 or to another process control communicationsnetwork. The wireless gateway 168 provides access to various wirelessdevices 140-158 of the wireless communications network 165. Inparticular, the wireless gateway 168 provides communicative couplingbetween the wireless devices 140-158, the wired devices 125-132, and/orother nodes or devices of the physical process control plant 100. Forexample, the wireless gateway 168 may provide communicative coupling byusing the process control data highway 108 and/or by using one or moreother communications networks of the physical process plant 100.

Similar to the wired field devices 125-132, the wireless field devices140-146 of the wireless network 165 perform physical control functionswithin the physical process plant 100, e.g., opening or closing valves,or taking measurements of process parameters. The wireless field devices140-146, however, are configured to communicate using the wirelessprotocol of the network 165. As such, the wireless field devices140-146, the wireless gateway 168, and other wireless nodes 152-158 ofthe wireless network 165 are producers and consumers of wirelesscommunication packets.

In some configurations of the physical process plant 100, the wirelessnetwork 165 includes non-wireless devices. For example, in FIG. 3 , afield device 148 of FIG. 3 is a legacy 4-20 mA device and a field device150 is a wired HART® device. To communicate within the network 165, thefield devices 148 and 150 are connected to the wireless communicationsnetwork 165 via a wireless adaptor 152 a, 152 b. The wireless adaptors152 a, 152 b support a wireless protocol, such as WirelessHART, and mayalso support one or more other communication protocols such asFoundation® Fieldbus, PROFIBUS, DeviceNet, etc. Additionally, in someconfigurations, the wireless network 165 includes one or more networkaccess points 155 a, 155 b, which may be separate physical devices inwired communication with the wireless gateway 168 or may be providedwith the wireless gateway 168 as an integral device. The wirelessnetwork 165 may also include one or more routers 58 to forward packetsfrom one wireless device to another wireless device within the wirelesscommunications network 165. In FIG. 3 , the wireless devices 140-146 and152-158 communicate with each other and with the wireless gateway 168over wireless links 160 of the wireless communications network 165,and/or via the process control data highway 108.

The Back-End Environment 105 of the Plant 100

As noted, the back-end environment 105 may include various componentssuch as computing devices, operator workstations, databases ordatabanks, etc. that are typically shielded and/or protected from theharsh conditions and materials of the field environment 102. Forexample, the back-end environment 105 may include any one or more of thefollowing, each of which may be communicatively connected to the datahighway 108: (i) one or more operator workstations 170 a and other localor remote user interface devices 170 b; (ii) one or more configurationapplications 172 a and configuration databases 172 b; (iii) one or moreother types of applications 175 a and/or databases 175 b, which mayinclude, for example, tools, diagnostics, asset management systems,simulators, and/or other types of applications; (iv) one or more otherwireless access points 178 that communicate with other devicesassociated with plant 100 (e.g., user interface devices 170 b or otherdevices) using various wireless protocols; (v) one or more plant gatewaysystems 180 to other plants; (vi) one or more edge gateway systems 182to systems 185 that are external to the immediate, OT layers of thephysical process control platform 100 (e.g., IT networks/systems of theenterprise, and/or external data networks/systems, which may beimplemented on cloud computing and/or other suitable platforms); and/or(vii) other physical components that are specially configured viahardware and software to support the process plant 100.

Operator Workstations and User Interface Devices 170 a, 170 b

The operator workstations 170 a and other user interface devices 172 bmay be utilized by operators to view and monitor run-time operations ofthe physical process plant 100, as well as to take any diagnostic,corrective, maintenance, and/or other actions that may be required. Atleast some of the operator workstations 172 a may be located at various,protected areas in or near the plant 100, and in some situations, atleast some of the operator workstations 172 b may be remotely located,but nonetheless in communicative connection with the plant 10. Operatorworkstations 172 a, 172 b may be wired or wireless computing devices.

Configuration Applications 172 a and Configuration Databases 172 b

The configuration applications 172 a and the configuration databases 172b may be utilized to configure certain aspects of the plant 100, such ascontrol modules/routines, user interfaces, data monitoring/analytics,etc. For example, various instances of the configuration application 172a may execute on one or more computing devices (not shown) to enableusers to create or change process control modules and download thesemodules via the data highway 108 to the controllers 110, to create orchange operator interfaces via which in operator is able to view dataand change data settings within process control routines, to create orchange data monitoring/analytics routines and functions which may bedownloaded into various physical components within the field environment102, etc. The configuration databases 172 b store the created (e.g.,configured) modules, operator interfaces, data monitoring/analytics,etc. Generally, the configuration applications 172 a and configurationdatabases 172 b are centralized and have a unitary logical appearance tothe physical process control platform 100, although multiple instancesof the configuration applications 172 a may execute simultaneouslywithin the physical process control platform 100, and the configurationdatabases 172 b may be implemented across multiple physical data storagedevices. Accordingly, the configuration applications 172 a, theconfiguration databases 172 b, and the user interfaces thereto (notshown) comprise a configuration or development system 172 for varioustypes of modules, e.g., control modules, display or operator interfacemodules, and/or analytics modules. Typically, but not necessarily, theuser interfaces for the configuration system 172 are different than theoperator workstations/user interface devices 170, as the user interfacesfor the configuration system 172 are utilized by configuration anddevelopment engineers irrespective of whether or not the plant 100 isoperating in production mode, whereas the operator workstations/userinterface devices 170 are utilized by operators during run-timeoperations of the physical process plant 100.

Regarding commissioning of the physical components of the MPDSC platform100, the configuration database 172 b may store data and otherinformation that specifically identifies and/or addresses the variousphysical devices or components and their interconnections that areplanned for or desired to be implemented on the process plant floor orfield environment 102. Some of this commissioning data may be providedto components in the field environment 102 for use in commissioning ofdevices and loops therein, and some of this data may be utilized in theback-end environment 105, e.g., for the design, development, andpreparation of control modules, operator interface modules, and/or dataanalytics modules that will operate in conjunction with the fieldenvironment 102 during live operations of the physical process plant100. In an example, an approved control module is downloaded from theconfiguration database 172 b into a process controller 110 so that, whenexecuted during live operations, the process controller 110 operates inaccordance with its resident control module to send and receive varioussignals to/from other components in its loop (and, in some cases,to/from other process controllers), thereby controlling at least aportion of the process in the physical process plant 100.

The configuration database 172 b may store a number of logicalidentifiers of components in the field environment 102, enabling thecontroller 110 and other devices to reference the components and signalsassociated with the components by way of the logical identifiers. Forexample, for a given field device, the configuration database 172 b maystore information mapping or binding a logical identifier to aparticular hardware address or I/O channel. The hardware address mayidentify a particular controller, a particular I/O device connected tothe particular controller, and/or a particular address for the I/Ochannel connecting the particular I/O device to the field device. Insome instances, this mapping or binding may be stored at the controller110, the user interface device 170 b, the operator workstation 170 a, orany other desired device (e.g., any device needing to resolve thelogical identifier). After a logical identifier has been bound to ahardware address or I/O channel, the identifier is considered“assigned.” In some cases, the plant 100 includes “unassigned” logicalidentifiers, which are identifiers that a software element (e.g., acontrol routine and/or a function block) references but that has nobinding. That is, a logical identifier is considered “unassigned” whenthe plant 100 and the configuration database 172 b have no hardwareaddress or I/O channel that has been bound to the tag. Thus, when anunassigned logical identifier is referenced by a control routine, novalue carried by a signal in the plant 100 will be read and no commandwill be transmitted via a signal to a field device in the plant 100.

Examples of such logical identifiers include Device Tags (DTs), each ofwhich represents a particular instrument, controller, valve, or otherphysical field device, and Device Signal Tags (DSTs), each of whichrepresents a particular signal that is received or generated by aparticular device and that typically corresponds to a particularparameter utilized by the field device. For some devices, a DeviceSignal Tag comprises a combination of a device's Device Tag and anidentifier of a specific signal received or generated by that device,e.g., an identifier of a specific parameter referenced by a controlmodule. For some devices, typically legacy or dumb devices, a Device Tagrepresents both the physical device and a signal generated by thedevice. Generally speaking, a device's logical identifier is used by thephysical process plant 100 in both the field environment 102 and in theback-end environment 105 to uniquely identify the device. The DTs andDSTs may be referred to as “system tags” or “system identifiers.”

In some instances, the smart field devices 129-132 also may storelogical identifiers unique to the smart field devices 129-132. Theselogical identifiers may be distinct from the system tags utilized by theplant 100 to identify the field devices 129-132, and may be referred toas “source identifiers” or “source tags.” Source tags may or may not bestored at the configuration database 172 b, depending on theimplementation.

The configuration database 172 b may store data and other informationthat specifically identifies and/or address various virtual devices orcomponents (e.g., various Virtual Nodes 30) that are planned for ordesired to be implemented in the virtual plant environment 12. Similarto physical devices and components, the configuration database 172 maystore respective logical identifiers of components of the virtualenvironment 12, thereby enabling other devices and/or components(whether physical or virtual) to reference the virtual components. Forexample, similar to Physical Nodes 40 x, various Virtual Nodes 30 x maybe uniquely identified within the MPDSC platform 10 (e.g., across boththe virtual 12 and physical 15 environments) via their respective DeviceTags (DTs), Devices Signal Tags (DSTs), source tags, and/or other typesof unique identifiers. Further sections of this disclosure discuss theconfiguring and identification of virtual devices and components in moredetail.

Other Applications 175 a and Databases 175 b

The other applications 175 a and databases 175 b may include instancesof applications that are specific to the process plant 100, such asdiagnostic applications/databases, data historianapplications/databases, system level health monitoringapplications/databases, local and/or remote user interfaces, etc.Generally speaking, the other applications 175 a and databases 175 b mayinclude one or more applications executing at the OT layers 18 of theprocess plant 100 and their associated databases. Additionally oralternatively, the other applications 175 a and databases 175 b mayinclude one or more applications executing at the IT layers 20associated with the process plant 100, such as inventory managementapplications, personnel management applications, supply chain managementapplications, other types of enterprise-related applications,weather/environmental applications, etc., and their associateddatabases. For example, the other applications 175 a and databases 175 bmay include the applications 21 a-21 n and their associated databases.Still further additionally or alternatively, the other applications 175a and databases 175 b may include one or more applications that areexternal to and/or that execute remotely from the process plant 100and/or its enterprise, such as simulation applications, analyticsapplications, IoT applications, IIoT applications, etc., and theirassociated databases. For example, the other applications 175 a anddatabases 175 b may include the applications 22 a-22 m and theirassociated databases. The other applications 175 a and databases 175 bmay include third-party applications and/or may include applicationsprovided by the enterprise associated with the process plant 100. Atleast some of the other applications 175 a and databases 175 b may beaccessed via an edge gateway system 28 and/or some other type ofsecurity and/or firewall system.

Wireless Access Points 178

The one or more other wireless access points 178 enable devices in theback-end environment 105 (and sometimes in the field environment 102) tocommunicate with other devices using wireless protocols, such as Wi-Fior other IEEE 802.11 compliant wireless local area network protocols,mobile communication protocols such as WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperabilityfor Microwave Access), LTE (Long Term Evolution) or other ITU-R(International Telecommunication Union Radio communication Sector)compatible protocols, short-wavelength radio communications such as nearfield communications (NFC) and Bluetooth, or other wirelesscommunication protocols. Typically, such wireless access points 178allow handheld or other portable computing devices (e.g., user interfacedevices 170 b) to communicate over a respective wireless process controlcommunication network that is different from the wireless network 165and that supports a different wireless protocol than the wirelessnetwork 165. For example, a wireless or portable user interface device170 b may be a mobile workstation or diagnostic test equipment that isutilized by an operator within the physical process plant 100 (e.g., aninstance of one of the operator workstations 170 a). In some scenarios,in addition to portable computing devices, one or more process controldevices (e.g., controller 110, field devices 125-132, or wirelessdevices 168, 140-158) also communicate using the wireless protocolsupported by the access points 174.

Gateway Systems 180, 182

The gateway nodes or systems 180 and 182 may interface with systems thatare external to the immediate physical process control plant 100.Typically, such systems are customers or suppliers of informationgenerated or operated on by the physical process plant 100. For example,the process control plant 100 may include a plant gateway node 180 tocommunicatively connect the immediate physical process plant 100 withanother process plant. Additionally or alternatively, the processcontrol plant 100 may include an edge gateway node or system 182 tocommunicatively connect the immediate physical process plant 100 with anexternal public or private system, such as a laboratory system (e.g.,Laboratory Information Management System or LIMS), an operator roundsdatabase, a data consolidation and viewing system, a data analyticssystem, a materials handling system, an asset management system, amaintenance management system, a product inventory control system, aproduction scheduling system, a weather data system, a shipping andhandling system, a packaging system, the Internet, an IOT application,an IIOT application, or other external systems.

Generally speaking, the edge gateway system 182 allows communications tobe securely delivered between the process plant 100 and other networks185. In an example architecture, an edge gateway system 182 includes aninternal- or plant-facing engine (which may be referred to as a “fieldgateway”) and an external- or outwards-facing engine (which may bereferred to as an “edge gateway”), where the plant-facing engine and theexternal-facing engine cooperate to securely deliver process plant data(e.g., data generated by the OT layers) to external networks and/orapplications (e.g., IT layers and/or external networks and/or systems)that are consumers of the plant data. In one of many embodiments, theplant-facing engine collects data generated by various components of theprocess plant 100, and securely transmits the collected data across oneor more secured communication links to the external-facing engine, e.g.,via a first set of publications. The external-facing engine hassubscribed to the various publications generated by the plant-facingengine and obtains the collected plant data therefrom. In turn, theexternal-facing engine securely transmits the obtained plant data to oneor more external client applications (e.g., applications 21 a-21 n, 22a-22 m) within the networks 185, e.g., via a second set of publications.Publications and subscriptions at the plant-facing engine and/or at theexternal-facing engine may be respectively configured as desired.Typically, though, the publication/subscription, encryption, and/orother secure data delivery mechanisms that are utilized between theplant-facing engine and the external-facing engine differ from thepublication/subscription, encryption, and/or other secure data deliverymechanism that are utilized between the external-facing engine andexternal applications. In some embodiments, for additional security, theedge gateway system 182 includes a one-way data diode disposed betweenthe plant-facing engine and the external-facing engine to prevent datafrom flowing from external networks 185 into the process plant 100.Examples of edge gateway systems may be found in U.S. Patent PublicationNumbers 20180115516; 20180115528; 20180115517; and 20180113442, theentire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Ofcourse, other edge gateway systems may be additionally or alternativelyutilized by the process plant 100.

It is noted that although FIG. 3 only illustrates a single controller110 with a finite number of field devices 125-132 and 140-146, wirelessgateways 168, wireless adaptors 152, access points 155, routers 158, andwireless process control communications networks 165 included in theexample physical process plant 100, this is only an illustrative andnon-limiting embodiment. Any number of controllers 110 may be includedin the process control plant or platform 100, and any of the controllers110 may communicate with any number of wired or wireless devices andnetworks 125-132, 140-146, 168, 152, 155, 158 and 165 to control aprocess in the plant 100.

Now jointly referring to FIGS. 1 and 3 with respect to Physical Nodes,each Physical Node 40 a-40 c and PNa-PNk shown in FIG. 1 may be arespective one of the physical components or devices discussed withrespect to the process control plant 100 of FIG. 3 . For example, PN 40b may be a process controller that has a respective Pub/Sub Layer 42 band that is communicatively connected to a field device PNh via an I/Ocard PNg. In another example, PN 40 c may be a CIOC (having a respectivePub/Sub Layer 42 c) to which six different field devices PNa-PNf arecommunicatively connected, or PN 40 c may be a wireless access point 178or an EIOC (having a respective Pub/Sub Layer 40 c) to which variousother physical components PNa-PNf without Pub/Sub Layers arecommunicatively connected. In yet another example, PN 40 a may be an I/Omarshalling device or I/O hub device that delivers, via its Pub/Sublayer 42 a, process I/O data on behalf of multiple other PNs that do nothave Pub/Sub layers, e.g., PNi-PNk. The I/O marshalling or hub device 40a may be a stand-alone device, or may be included in another physicalcomponent disposed within the physical plant environment 15, such as ina controller 110, an I/O device 112, 115 (e.g., a CIOC, an ECOC, a WIOC,etc.), an access point 178, a gateway 180, 182, etc. Further, in someimplementations, the edge gateway system 28 and its Pub/Sub Layer 38 maybe a Physical Node that is communicatively connected (not illustrated inFIG. 1 ) to various physical components of the physical plantenvironment 15 (e.g., PNs 40 a-40 c and PNa-PNk), e.g., in a manner suchas discussed with respect to FIG. 3 .

I/O Switch

As mentioned above, the I/O Switch 25 shown in FIG. 1 serves as a databroker, switching fabric, or router for process I/O data between nodesof the virtual communication network 45. That is, the I/O Switch 25forwards, on behalf of a publishing node, I/O data generated by thepublishing node to nodes that have subscribed to that data. Generallyspeaking, the I/O Switch 25 may maintain (and update) records of whatI/O data is published by which node, and which nodes have subscribed towhich published I/O data. In an embodiment, the I/O data may beidentified within the records by the unique identifier, name, or tagthat is unique across the MPDSC platform 10, or by a respectiveindication thereto. The unique identifier may identify theprocess-related payload data included in the I/O data and/or itspublishing node, for example. In an embodiment, the unique identifiers,names, or tags are assigned during configuration and/or commissioning.The I/O Switch 25 utilizes the stored records to route incoming,published data to subscribers of the published data. For example, theI/O Switch 25 may subscribe to I/O data that is published by variousnodes 28, 30 x, 40 x, and upon receiving the published I/O data via itssubscriptions, the I/O Switch 25 may itself publish the received I/Odata to selected subscriber nodes 28, 30 x, 40 x in accordance with thestored records. Typically, but not necessarily, the I/O Switch 25 doesnot maintain, record, or store any I/O data and/or process-relatedpayload data that is published by other nodes of the virtualcommunication network 45.

Importantly, the I/O Switch 25 is configured to switch or forwardreceived process I/O data with minimal delay. Indeed, in a prototype,the I/O Switch 25 was able to forward received process I/O data throughthe I/O Switch 25 in time intervals measured in hundreds ofmicroseconds, such as under 500 microseconds, under 200 microseconds,and under 100 microseconds, depending on loading.

Generally speaking, the I/O Switch 25 may be implemented via hardware,firmware, and/or software. In an example, the I/O Switch 25 isimplemented using one or more physical, hardware devices on whichspecialized software is installed to provide at least some of the I/OSwitch 25 functionality described herein; that is, the I/O Switch 25 maybe implemented as an appliance. In another example, the I/O Switch 25 isimplemented as software (e.g., programs, routines, applications, etc.)that may be installed on and executed by a server or bank of computingdevices to provide at least some of the I/O Switch 25 functionalitydescribed herein. In yet another example, the I/O Switch 25 isimplemented via virtualization, e.g., as a virtual machine, a container(such as Docker, LXD, etc.), or another type of virtualizedimplementation.

The Pub/Sub Layer 35 of the I/O Switch 25 generally is similar inconfiguration and functionality to the Pub/Sub Layers 32 x, 38, 42 x, 55x described elsewhere within this disclosure. However, the Pub/Sub Layer35 of the I/O Switch 25 is further configured to accept and maintainsubscription requests for various identified process I/O data. Asdiscussed above, subscriptions are recorded at and maintained by the I/OSwitch 25, e.g., in one or more tangible, non-transitory memories.Further, the Pub/Sub Layer 35 of the I/O Switch 25 is configured toforward published process I/O data to subscribing nodes, which mayinclude other I/O Switches.

To illustrate, FIG. 4 depicts an example arrangement 200 of multiple I/OSwitches 202, 205, 208, 210 which may be included in the MPDSC platform10 of FIG. 1 . In an example, each I/O Switch 202, 205, 208, 210 has arespective architecture similar to that of the I/O Switch 25, includinga respective Pub/Sub Layer (as indicated by the respective hash-markedportions). Also similar to the I/O Switch 25, each I/O Switch 202, 205,208, 210 is associated and interconnected with, via the virtualcommunication network 225, a respective set of VNs and/or PNs 212 a-212n, 215 a-215 m, 218 a-218 p, and 220 a-220 q amongst which therespective I/O Switch 202, 205, 208, 210 forwards process I/O data viapublishing and subscribing, such as in a manner described above.Although the arrangement 200 includes four I/O switches 202, 205, 208,210, the concepts discussed herein with respect to the arrangement 200are easily applied to greater or lesser numbers of I/O switches that areinterconnected in a mesh topology.

In FIG. 4 , each I/O Switch 202, 205, 208, 210 is further able toforward, via the virtual communication network 225, process I/O data toeach of the other I/O Switches 202, 205, 208, 210. By interconnectingmultiple I/O Switches 202, 205, 208, 210, the number of serviced VirtualNodes and/or Physical Nodes is able to be expanded to support largersystems 10 and to provide additional delivery bandwidth. In thearrangement 200, each I/O Switch 202, 205, 208, 210 may publish data onbehalf of its respective set of VNs/PNs to other I/O Switches 202, 205,208, 210. Similarly, each I/O Switch 202, 205, 208, 210 may subscribe todata that is forwarded by other I/O Switches 202, 205, 208, 210 onbehalf of their respective sets of VNs/PNs 212 a-212 n, 215 a-215 m, 218a-218 p, 220 a-220 q.

The arrangement 200 illustrates each of the I/O Switches 202, 205, 208,210 as being directly linked to each of the other I/O Switches 202, 205,208, 210. That is, the virtual communication network 225 has afully-interconnected or mesh topology. Accordingly, in an implementationof this arrangement 200, the maximum transmission delay from a publishernode to a subscriber node is bounded, as the maximum number of hops thata particular process I/O data payload may undergo is three. In otherimplementations of the arrangement 200, the maximum number of hops maydiffer. For example, the maximum number of hops may be increased, e.g.,for monitoring traffic, when time-sequencing capabilities, such as TimeSequencing Networking, or other suitable time-sequencing capabilities)are utilized, and the like. A maximum number of hops within thearrangement 200 may be configured and modified, if desired.

Of course, other interconnected topologies (e.g., hub-and-spoke, star,ring, tree, hybrid, etc.) may be possible in addition to or as analternative to the mesh topology for the virtual communication network225. Generally speaking, subscriptions to process I/O data that ispublished by a particular publishing node, e.g., node 215 a, are made toand managed by its corresponding I/O Switch, e.g., I/O Switch 205.However, if the I/O Switch 205 does not have a record for the particulardata to which a subscription is requested, the I/O Switch 205 mayforward the subscription request to the other I/O Switches 202, 208,210. The particular I/O Switch corresponding to the node that publishesthe requested data, e.g., I/O Switch 210 corresponding to publishingnode 220 q, will have a record corresponding to the requested data andits publishing node 220 q, and will respond to the I/O Switch 205corresponding to the requesting node 215 a, upon which the I/O Switch105 may create and store a corresponding record for the requested data.In this manner, a traversal route for the requested data from publishingnode 220 q to subscribing node 215 a via the I/O Switches 210, 205 maybe established.

In an embodiment, the arrangement 200 may be implemented across multipleMPDSC systems 10. For example, I/O Switch 202 may be included in a firstMPDSC system, and I/O Switch 205 may be included in a different MPDSCsystem. As such, different MPDSC systems may publish and/or subscribe toeach other's process I/O data via one or more links of the virtualcommunication network 225.

Real-Time Virtual Control and Associated Operations

As mentioned above, Virtual Nodes 30 x may virtualize the behavior ofvarious physical components which are operable within the physical plantenvironment 15. Further, due to the features of the MPDSC platform 10,virtualized components 30 x of the virtual plant environment 12 mayoperate in conjunction with physical components of the physical plantenvironment 15 to perform real-time control of the industrial processplant during run-time to thereby generate physical products from rawmaterials. Referring simultaneously to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 to illustrate,the process controller 110 may be virtualized as the Virtual Node 30 a,which has an architecture 52 a. As such, instead of the physical processcontroller 110 executing its corresponding control modules or routines118 during run-time, the Virtual Node 110/30 a includes the controlmodules or routines 118 as its CBM 58 a and executes the correspondingcontrol modules or routines 118 during run-time, which may includesending and receiving signals to/from various field devices disposedwithin the physical environment 15 via the I/O Switch 25.

For example, during run-time of the industrial process plant 100, thevirtual controller 110/30 a may receive data generated by field device129 via physical I/O device 115. In this example, physical I/O device115 is represented in FIG. 1 by physical node PNg, field device 129 isrepresented in FIG. 1 by physical node PNh, and physical node 40 b is anI/O hub device. Data payload generated by field device PNh is deliveredvia I/O device PNg to the I/O hub device 40 b, which is a node of thevirtual communication network 45. The I/O hub device 40 b may publish,to the I/O Switch 25, the data payload that was generated by the fielddevice PNh and published by I/O hub device 40 b, to which the I/O Switch25 has a subscription. In turn, the I/O Switch 25 may publish thepayload data generated by field device PNh to the virtual controller110/30 a, whereupon the CBM 58 a (e.g., the control modules/routines118) of the virtual controller 110/30 a may operate on the payload datagenerated by the field device PNh. The CBM 58 a may generate outputpayload data that is to be delivered to another virtual or physical nodevia the virtual communication network 45.

In another example, during run-time of the industrial process plant 100,the virtual controller 110/30 a may receive data generated by wirelessfield device 142 a. In this example, physical wireless field device 142a is represented in FIG. 1 by physical node PNa, and the physicalwireless gateway 168 is represented by PN 40 c. Wireless gateway PN 40 creceives payload data generated by wireless field device PNa. As PN 40 cis a node of the virtual communication network 45, PN 40 c publishes, tothe I/O Switch 25, the payload data generated by the wireless fielddevice PNa to which the I/O Switch 25 has a subscription. In turn, theI/O Switch 25 may publish the payload data generated by the field devicePNa to a virtual node 30 b, where the virtual node 30 b is configured asa representation of an I/O device, such as the I/O device 115. Thevirtual I/O device 30 b has subscribed to the payload data generated bythe field device PNa and forwarded by the I/O Switch 25. As such, thevirtual I/O device 30 b obtains the payload data generated by thewireless field device PNa via its subscription, and publishes anew theobtained payload data generated by the field device PNa to the I/OSwitch 25 for forwarding to appropriate subscribers. The I/O Switch 25may in turn publish the obtained payload data of the field device PNathat was published by the virtual I/O device 30 b to its respectivesubscribers, which (in this example) include the virtual controller 30a. Upon receipt of the payload data at the virtual controller 30 a viaits subscription thereto, the CBM 58 a (e.g., the controlmodules/routines 118) of the virtual controller 30 a may operate on thepayload data generated by the wireless field device PNa. The CBM 58 amay generate output payload data that is to be delivered to anothervirtual or physical node via the virtual communication network 45.

Virtualization of physical components of industrial process plantsprovide numerous benefits over industrial process plants that areentirely implemented using physical components. Virtualized componentsallow an industrial process plant to be flexibly scaled up and/or downin size and number of components with minimal changes to hardwarefootprint and decreased installation costs. As a virtual nodes mayrepresent a physical device in its entirety or only a portion thereof,control may be easily scaled, e.g., across as many virtual nodes asneeded. Additionally, the MPDSC platform 10 provides I/O flexibility viathe abstraction of I/O, for example, so that controllers have lessdependency on actual configured and downloaded I/O module assignments.That is, at least due to the I/O Switch 25, I/O binding decisionsbetween physical I/O devices and controllers and field devices may beeliminated. Further, by using virtual physical components, softwareupgrades to the virtualized physical components is easily achieved.Still further, by using the MPDSC platform 10, simulation and on-linetesting of behavior of physical components is also easily achieved andimproved over currently known techniques.

Virtualization Management Node

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example architecturesupporting the configuration, commissioning, management, andadministration of the MPDSC system 10 of FIG. 1 . For purposes ofclarity, and not for limitation purposes, FIG. 5 is discussed hereinwith simultaneous reference to FIGS. 1-4 . As shown in FIG. 5 , aVirtualization Management Node 300 (which is interchangeably referred toherein as the “VMN 300” or the “Virtual Node 300”) creates, configures,and manages virtualized components of the MPDSC system 10 such as theI/O Switch 25, various virtual nodes 30 x, the virtual PIO subsystem 60,the publish/subscribe layers 32 x, 35, 38, 42 x, etc. The VMN 300automatically performs at least some of the creation, configuration, andmanagement of virtual components. Additionally or alternatively, the VMN300 performs at least some of the creation, configuration, andmanagement of the virtual components based on manual instructions, e.g.,manual instructions received via a user interface 302 of the VMN 300,which may be a local or a remote user interface. Further, theVirtualization Management Node 300 drives and/or coordinates simulationactivities of the virtual process environment 12, which may be performedwith and/or without in-line user input during simulations, as isdescribed in more detail below.

Virtual Component Configuration, Administration, and Management

In an embodiment, during the configuration and/or commissioning of thevirtual environment 12 and components thereof, the VMN 300 accesses thesystem configuration database of the plant (e.g., the VMN 300 accessesthe configuration database(s) 172 b of the plant 100 via the datahighway 108), and based on the obtained configuration, the VMN 300determines the types and numbers of virtual nodes, virtual templatesand/or subsystems, I/O switches, and/or other virtual components thatwould best support (or, that are desired to support) the plantconfiguration. The VMN 300 creates the various types and numbers ofvirtual nodes 30 x, and configures the I/O Switch 25 and the virtualnodes 30 x to communicate via the virtual communication network 45,e.g., via respective publish/subscribe layers 32 x and, for some VNs 30x, via the virtual PIO subsystem 60. For some plant configurations, theVMN 300 may create and distribute instances of publish/subscribe layers42 x (and optionally, instances of the virtual PIO subsystem 60) tovarious physical components 40 x of the physical plant environment 15.As such, the VMN 300 may create, configure, and administer any number ofnodes 25, 28, 30 x, 40 x of the virtual communication network 45, whichmay include virtual components that operate in conjunction with physicalcomponents of the physical plant to perform real-time control and/ordynamic simulation.

The configuration of the virtual communication network 45 and its nodes25, 28, 30 x, 40 x may be stored in the system configuration database172 b, and/or may be locally stored in a virtual environmentconfiguration database 305. In some implementations, a master version ofthe configuration of the virtual plant environment 12 is stored in thesystem configuration database 172 b (along with the configuration of thephysical plant environment 15), and a copy of the master configurationof the virtual plant environment 12 is locally stored in the virtualenvironment configuration database 305. In some implementations, amaster version of the configuration of the virtual plant environment 12is stored in the virtual environment configuration database 305, and acopy of the master configuration of the virtual plant environment 12 isstored in the system configuration database 172 b (along with theconfiguration of the physical plant environment 15). The VMN 300coordinates change management and synchronization of data stored in thevirtual environment configuration database 305 and related data storedin the system configuration database 172 b.

While the plant 100 is performing operational process control duringrun-time of the process plant 100, the VMN 300 may monitor the I/OSwitch 25, virtual nodes 30 x, the virtual communication network 45 andany associated nodes (such as physical nodes 40 x, 28) with respect to,for example, resource loading, resource availability, resourcebandwidth, fault occurrence, and other performance issues of hardwareand/or software resources provided by the physical computing platformsupporting the virtual environment 12, e.g., platform of hardwarecomputing devices supporting the virtual environment 12. Based ondetected and/or predicted conditions, the VMN 300 may automaticallyperform mitigating actions during run-time operations, such as adjustingresource allocations, activating stand-by Virtual Nodes, creating and/ordeleting Virtual Nodes, etc., e.g., for load-balancing, fault recovery,and other performance purposes. As an example, the VMN 300 may analyzeperformance bottlenecks and perform auto-leveling operations to mitigateany detected bottlenecks. For instance, the VMN 300 may performauto-leveling at a process data level in response to the amount ofvirtual network traffic on the virtual communication network 45, and/orthe VMN 300 may perform auto-leveling at a physical computing devicelevel so that CPU and/or physical network utilization is balanced acrossthe physical computing devices, physical data links, and/or physicalnetworks on which the virtual environment 12 is implemented.

Administratively, the VMN 300 may perform the saving, snapshot, backup,migration, restoration, etc. of various virtual nodes, virtual templatesand subsystems, and associated process data, and the VMN 300 may performthe saving, snapshot, backup, migration, restoration, etc. of the entirevirtual environment 12 itself. In an embodiment, each administrativeaction performed by the VMN 300 may apply to an entirety of the logicsimulated by subject Virtual Nodes (e.g., the entirety of the logicperformed by collective set of CBMs 58 of the subject Virtual Nodes).For example, when taking and saving a snapshot of a virtual controller,the VMN 300 may not only save data that is received, operated on,generated by, and indicative of the virtual controller and itsinterconnections and operating states, but the VMN 300 may also save, aspart of the snapshot, associated data of modules that are executed inconjunction with the virtual controller, even if such modules are hostedon other nodes and/or simulate other physical components. In anotherexample, when taking and saving a snapshot of a virtual CIOC, the VMN300 may save data corresponding to the virtual machine level of thevirtual CIOC, and/or the VMN 300 may save process simulation valuesobserved by the virtual CIOC.

Dynamic Simulation

As mentioned above, the MPDSC system 10 supports the dynamic simulationof the entire process plant 100 and/or of portions thereof. For example,the MPDSC system 10 provides for a real-time simulation, where thereal-time simulation mirrors the run-time timing, values, and/or otherbehaviors of at least part of a corresponding physical component and/orphysical operational process. As utilized herein, the terms “simulation”and “simulation run” are utilized interchangeably, and a simulation orsimulation run is bounded. That is, each simulation or simulation runhas a respective start and a respective finish, which may be defined asdesired, e.g., based on a time, a parameter value, a state, a usercommand, and/or other criteria.

Additionally, the MPDSC system 10 provides for manipulation ofsimulations such as, for example, speeding up or slowing down the paceof simulation execution, pausing the simulation, inserting and/ormodifying various values, changing initial conditions, etc. Simulationsmay be executed entirely within the virtual environment 12 of the MPDSCsystem 10, and/or simulations may be executed using one or more virtualor simulated components in conjunction with one or more physicalcomponents (e.g., a configuration of a controller simulated by a VirtualNode in the virtual environment 12 may communicate with a physical fielddevice disposed in the physical environment 15 to test the simulatedcontroller behavior). Generally speaking, the MPDSC system 10 provides aplatform via which engineers and users may test and check out draftcontrol strategies and draft operator displays, investigate processimprovements, perform operator training, perform case studies, etc. TheVMN 300 manages, coordinates, and drives simulation activities supportedby the MPDSC system 10.

In particular, the VMN 300 creates, configures, and administratesvirtual nodes 25, 30 x and other virtual components 28, 32, 35, 38, 42x, 60 that simulate at least portions of the physical plant 100. Virtualnodes 25, 30 x, that are utilized solely for simulation purposes (andnot for run-time control purposes) are interchangeably referred toherein as “simulated nodes.” For example, the VMN 300 may generate amirror simulation system of the entire run-time control system asdescribed by the plant configuration database 172 b, e.g., by utilizingsimulated nodes that simulate integral physical hardware components suchas controllers 110, workstations 170 a, and/or other physical devicesand their corresponding network interconnections (in someimplementations, simulating down to the MAC address level). In anotherexample, the VMS 300 may generate respective simulations of one or moreindividual physical components, each of which may execute in astand-alone mode or in conjunction with one or more other simulated,virtual, and/or physical components. For instance, the VMS 300 maygenerate, within the virtual environment 12, a virtual twin of aphysical component that is currently operating within the physicalenvironment 15, e.g., to test a new control configuration, an upgrade, apatch, etc. that is to be applied to the physical component. In anotherexample, VMS 300 may generate a simulation of a MAC address levelbehavior of a particular physical component. In yet another example, theVMS 300 may generate a unitary (e.g., single) simulated node thatsimulates the real-time operating behavior of a group of physicaldevices, components, or nodes, such as a control loop or an operatordisplay view.

With regard to configuring the types of data values utilized within thevirtual 12 and physical 15 environments of the process control system100, in an embodiment, a system process data definition (which may beconfigured via a system configuration application 172 a and/or via theVMS 300) defines which data values (and/or types thereof) utilizedwithin the process plant 100 are to be simulated, and the VMS 300assigns respective Data Tags (e.g., identifiers) to the data values(and/or types thereof) that are to be simulated. For example, the VMS300 may automatically assign Data Tags to at least some data valuesand/or data types that are to be simulated, and/or the VMS 300 mayreceive manually generated Data Tags of at least some data values and/ordata types that are to be simulated, e.g., via the user interface 302.Assigned Data Tags of simulated data values and/or data types may bestored in the virtual environment configuration database 305 and/or inthe system configuration database 172 b.

Additionally, the VMN 300 drives and/or coordinates the simulations ofthe entire physical plant 100 and/or portions thereof. To this end, thevirtual environment 12 provides a Simulator API (Application ProgrammingInterface) 310 or other suitable access mechanism via whichapplications, such as the user interface 302, IT layer applications 21x, and/or third-party or external applications 22 x may interface withthe virtual environment 12 for the purposes of simulation. In anembodiment, the VMN 300 or other computing device within the virtualenvironment 12 hosts and/or exposes the Simulator API 310 to otherapplications.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the Simulator API 310 communicates simulated datavalues (also interchangeably referred to herein as “simulation datavalues,” “simulated values,” and/or “simulation values”) to and from thevirtual environment 12 and simulated components included therein via theI/O Switch 25. Generally speaking, simulated run-time process data isdelivered between 28, 30 x, and the Simulator API 310 via the nodes'respective Pub/Sub layers. For example, simulated nodes 28, 30 x, 310may to publish run-time process data to one or more other simulatednodes 28, 30 x, 310 via the I/O Switch 25, and simulated nodes 28, 30 x,310 may subscribe to run-time process data that is generated by one ormore other simulated nodes 28, 30 x, 310 and received via the I/O switch25. On the other hand, in an embodiment, simulated data values that arenot run-time process data (e.g., data values that are configurable andthat are typically assigned during down-load time in the physicalenvironment 15) may be delivered between simulated nodes 28, 30 x, 310on an as-changed basis, e.g., only when respective values of the datachange.

The Simulator API 310 is configured with names, data tags, identifiers,data definitions, channel data, etc. of simulated components within thevirtual environment 12 (e.g., based on data stored in the virtualconfiguration database 305), and the Simulator API 310 is alsoconfigured to communicate using one or more industrial and/or generalpurpose communication/data protocols, which may be a standardizedprotocol, e.g., OPC, Ethernet, IPv6, etc. As such, the Simulator API 310serves as a data delivery and transport mechanism between simulatedcomponents within the virtual environment 12 and other applications 302,21 x, 22 x that are consumers and/or providers of simulation data andthat utilize the one or more industrial and/or general purposecommunication/data protocols. For example, a third-party simulationapplication may utilize the Simulator API 310 to inject test values foruse by a simulated component, change the initial conditions of asimulation run, etc.

Additionally or alternatively, the Simulator API 310 handles simulationcommands provided via the user interface 302 and/or by otherapplications 21 x, 22 x. For example, the Simulator API 310 may receivesimulation commands to speed up and/or slow down the pace of moduleexecution (at least some of which is simulated within the virtualenvironment 12) and/or to speed up and/or slow down the pace of I/Oprocessing, and may drive the timing and the actions of associatedsimulated nodes 30 x, 28 and/or of the virtual communication network 45accordingly. In another example, the Simulator API 310 may receivesimulation commands to inject and/or change various data values duringthe simulation. Further, the Simulator API 310 may receiveadministrative simulation commands to, for example, save a snapshot,retrieve a saved snapshot, restore from saved data, etc. and may performthe corresponding action in response. For example, the Simulator API 310may receive and respond to simulation commands to save, retrieve,restore, etc. a simulation of the entire process plant 100 (e.g.,to/from the virtual environment configuration database 305 and/or fromto/from the system configuration database 172 b) as well as to save,retrieve, restore, etc. a simulation of one or more nodes or componentsof the process plant 100.

Generally speaking, the Simulation API 310 is stateful. That is, theSimulation API 310 is aware of various states of the simulation andcomponents (e.g., of virtual, physical, and/or simulated devices;virtual, physical, and/or simulated modules; other types of virtual,physical, and/or simulated components; a process that is being at leastpartially simulated by the simulation; a state of the overallsimulation; etc.) associated therewith as the simulation executes, andresponds to the received commands based on the various states. Forexample, in responding to a Save command, the Simulation API 310 maysave process data in conjunction with data indicative of associatedcomponents' states. In another example, when simulating a modifiedcontrol module executing within a controller for testing purposes, theSimulation API 310 may allow a user to change the state of an associatedmodule to determine how the modified control module would respond todifferent states of the associated module.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of an example method of balancing a load and/orperformance levels of a plurality of virtual nodes performing real-timecontrol in a process control system of an industrial process plant. At aleast a portion of embodiments of the method 400 may be performed by oneor more portions of the multi-purpose dynamic simulation and run-timeindustrial or process control (MPDSC) system or platform 10 of FIG. 1 ,and/or any one or more components thereof. In embodiments, the method400 may be performed in conjunction with one or more portions ofembodiments of the virtual nodes 52 a, 52 b of FIG. 2 ; one or moreportions of embodiments of the physical plant environment 100 of FIG. 3and/or any one or more components thereof; one or more portions ofembodiments of the arrangement 200 of I/O Switches of FIG. 4 ; and/orone or more portions of embodiments of the Virtualization ManagementNode 300 of FIG. 5 . For example, at least a portion of the method 400may be performed by the VMN 300 of FIG. 5 . For ease of illustration,and not for limitation purposes, the method 400 is described herein withsimultaneous reference to portions of FIGS. 1-5 . Further, the method400 may include more, fewer, and/or alternate steps other than thosedescribed herein, in embodiments.

As illustrated in FIG. 6 , the method 400 includes, during run-timeoperations of an industrial process plant, detecting and/or predictingone or more conditions occurring at a virtualization platform on which aplurality of virtual nodes of a process control system is implementedwhile the plurality of virtual nodes is operating to control anindustrial process, e.g., while performing real-time control bypublishing data to an I/O switch and by subscribing to data published bythe I/O switch (block 402). The virtualization platform may be similarto the MPDSC 10 of FIG. 1 , or the virtualization platform may be adifferent platform on which virtual nodes that perform real-time controlare implemented. In an example embodiment, the virtual nodes implementedon the virtualization platform are similar to the virtual run-time nodes30 a-30 p of FIGS. 1 and/or 52 a, 52 b of FIG. 2 , and the I/O switch issimilar to the I/O switch 25 of FIG. 1 or to a group of I/O switches,such as the arrangement 200 of I/O switches illustrated in FIG. 4 .

The plurality of virtual nodes may be disposed in a virtual environmentof the industrial process plant, and may publish data (e.g., I/O datautilized by other nodes and/or devices during real-time control) viatheir respective publish/subscribe layers, for example. Additionally,the plurality of virtual nodes may obtain published data (e.g., I/O datautilized by the plurality of virtual nodes during real-time control) towhich the virtual nodes have respectively subscribed via theirrespective publish/subscribe layers, for example. Similarly, the I/Oswitch may publish data (e.g., I/O data utilized during real-timecontrol and subscribed to by one or more of the plurality of virtualnodes) via its publish/subscribe layer, and the I/O switch may obtaindata that has been published by the plurality of virtual nodes (e.g.,I/O data utilized during real-time control) and to which the I/O switchhas subscribed via its publish/subscribe layer, e.g., for forwarding orconveying to other nodes/devices.

The I/O switch is included in the process control system of theindustrial process plant, and communicatively connects the plurality ofvirtual nodes to a plurality of physical nodes disposed in a physicalenvironment of the industrial process plant. The plurality of physicalnodes includes at least one field device, and may, in some arrangements,include multiple field devices that perform physical functions to effectreal-time control of the industrial process. The plurality of physicalnodes operate, during run-time operations of the industrial processplant, to control the industrial process by performing their respectivephysical functions and by sending data to and receiving data from theplurality of virtual nodes via the I/O switch, where the data isindicative of or related to the respective physical functions of thephysical nodes. For example, the plurality of physical nodes may besimilar to the physical nodes 40 a-40 c and PNa-PNk of FIG. 1 . Theplurality of physical nodes may communicate with the I/O switch viarespective publish/subscribe layers, such as layers 42 a-42 c, forexample. As such, a process control loop of the process control systemwhich operates to control at least a portion of the industrial processmay include at least one virtual node, the I/O switch, and at least onephysical node which communicate I/O data to each other (and, in somecases, other types of data) via respective publish/subscribe layers.

In an embodiment, the virtualization platform comprises one or moreinterconnected computing devices which include one or more processorsand one or more tangible memories. The one or more tangible memoriesstore particular computer-executable instructions which, when executedby the one or more processors, cause the one or more interconnectedcomputing devices to provide the plurality of virtual nodes and, in someimplementations, one or more networks or links interconnecting theplurality of virtual nodes. The virtualization platform may beimplemented as a bank of servers, a cloud computing network, adistributed computing system, or other suitable arrangement.

Generally speaking, each virtual node of the plurality of virtual nodesoperates to control at least a portion of the industrial process byutilizing a respective one or more component behavior modules (CBMs)which are resident on the each virtual node. Each component behaviormodule operates on respective input data (e.g., which the residentvirtual node may have received via a corresponding subscription and itsrespective publish/subscribe layer) to generate output data, such as acontrol signal. Each virtual node may publish generated output data(e.g., via its respective publish/subscribe layer) to the I/O switch.The I/O switch obtains the published output data via a correspondingsubscription, and may publish the contents of the output data to one ormore subscribers thereto (e.g., another virtual node, a physical node,etc.), e.g., for use by the subscribers and/or devices related to thesubscribers in controlling the industrial process. Each CBM mayvirtualize one or more physical components that are deployable withinthe physical environment of the industrial process plant, and/or mayvirtualize one or more sub-components of the one or more physicalcomponents, e.g., in a manner such as described above.

As such, respective subscriptions of the plurality of virtual nodes tovarious data and/or types of data (e.g., I/O data utilized to effectreal-time control, and optionally other data) published by the I/Oswitch, subscriptions of the I/O switch to various data and/or types ofdata respectively published by the plurality of virtual nodes,publications of various data and/or types of data by the I/O switch, andpublications of various data and/or data types respectively published bythe plurality of virtual nodes may be based on I/O assignments. I/Oassignments, as previously discussed herein, indicate associationsbetween logical identifiers or tags and I/O data, I/O data types,sending nodes, and/or receiving nodes. The logical identifiers or tagsare unique within the I/O switch and, in some arrangements, are uniquewithin the virtualization platform. The respective associations oflogical identifiers/tags to I/O data, I/O data types, sending nodes,and/or receiving nodes may be determined (e.g., during configurationand/or commissioning) based on information stored in systemconfiguration databases of the industrial process plant, such asconfiguration databases 172 b. There need not be a one-to-onecorrespondence between logical identifiers/tags utilized by the I/Oswitch and the logical identifiers/tags utilized within the systemconfiguration databases, though. For example, syntaxes of the logicalidentifiers/tags may differ (e.g., for performance purposes), theobject(s) to which the logical identifiers/tags utilized by the I/Oswitch may be abstracted, logical identifiers/tags utilized by the I/Oswitch may refer to a grouping, category, and/or related set of dataand/or nodes, etc. Generally speaking, each subscription corresponds toa respective subset of a plurality of I/O assignments known to the I/Oswitch, and each publication corresponds to a respective subset of theplurality of I/O assignments known to the I/O switch.

Returning now to the block 402, detecting and/or predicting the one ormore conditions occurring at the virtualization platform may includedetecting and/or predicting a performance issue of at least one portionof the virtualization platform, such as a loading of hardware, software,network, and/or link resources and/or components, an availability ofhardware, software, network, and/or link resources and/or components, abandwidth of hardware, software, network, and/or link resources and/orcomponents, and/or other types of performance issues of thevirtualization platform itself and/or of any of the physical and/orlogical computing platform of which the virtualization platformcomprises. Detecting and/or predicting the one or more conditionsoccurring at the virtualization platform may include detecting a faultthat has occurred and/or predicting that a fault is to occur in thevirtualization platform itself and/or in any of the components of thephysical and/or logical computing platform of which the virtualizationplatform comprises. Detecting and/or predicting the one or moreconditions occurring at the virtualization platform may includedetecting that a change in some performance aspect or measure of thevirtualization platform has occurred and/or predicting that a change insome performance aspect or measure of the virtualization platform is tooccur in the virtualization platform itself and/or in any of thecomponents of the physical and/or logical computing platform of whichthe virtualization platform comprises. Generally speaking, detectingand/or predicting the one or more conditions (block 402) may includedetecting and/or predicting any condition that affects and/or willaffect the operating performance of the virtualization platform.

At a block 405, the method 400 includes balancing at least one of a loador performance levels corresponding to the plurality of virtual nodesbased on the detected and/or predicted one or more conditions. Balancingthe at least one of the load or the performance levels corresponding tothe plurality of virtual nodes (block 405) may include performingadjustments related to the plurality of the virtual nodes. For example,balancing the at least one of the load or the performance levels may bebased on the plurality of I/O assignments known to the I/O switch and/orchanges to which I/O assignments are handled by which virtual nodes. Forexample, at the block 405, at least a portion of the plurality of I/Oassignments may be re-assigned to different nodes to thereby mitigatethe effect of the detected and/or predicted condition(s). Additionallyor alternatively, balancing the at least one of the load or theperformance levels corresponding to the plurality of virtual nodes(block 405) may include modifying the plurality of virtual nodes tothereby mitigate the effect of the detected and/or predictedcondition(s). For example, one or more virtual nodes may be deleted fromthe plurality of virtual nodes, one or more additional virtual nodes maybe created and added to the plurality of virtual nodes, differentvirtual nodes may be moved from being supported by a first subset ofcomputing devices of the platform to being supported by another subsetof computing devices of the platform, etc.

Balancing the load and/or the performance levels corresponding to theplurality of virtual nodes (block 405) may include adjustments relatedto the virtualization platform on which the plurality of the virtualnodes is implemented and/or the usage of various components of thevirtualization platform. For example, balancing the load and/orperformance levels (block 405) may be based on one or more boundaryconditions which are associated with a maximum, minimum, and/or targetthreshold of a respective performance aspect or measure pertaining tothe virtualization platform, e.g., the processor capacity of each serveror individual processor is not to exceed X %, the targeted minimumnetwork availability is not to fall below Y %, etc. Boundary conditionsmay be pre-determined, e.g., during configuration and/or commissioningof the virtualization platform. Various boundary conditions may bemodified or changed during run-time operations of the industrial processplant, e.g., manually in response to user input received via a userinterface, and/or automatically based on detected conditions.Accordingly, the load and/or the performance levels corresponding to theplurality of virtual nodes may be re-balanced based on the changedboundary condition(s).

In some embodiments, balancing the at least one of the load or theperformance levels corresponding to the plurality of virtual nodes(block 405) includes adjusting one or more types of loads (or targetsthereof) corresponding to the virtualization platform and/or componentsthereof. For example, a software resource load, a hardware resourceload, a memory resource load, and/or a traffic load corresponding to thevirtualization platform as a whole, and/or to any one or more of theprocessors, tangible memories, computing devices, networks, and/or linksof which the virtualization platform comprises may be adjusted to adifferent level and/or target level.

In some embodiments, balancing the at least one of the load or theperformance levels corresponding to the plurality of virtual nodes(block 405) includes adjustments related to one or more types ofperformance measures (or targets thereof) corresponding to thevirtualization platform and/or components thereof. For example,utilization of one or more processors, computing devices, networks,and/or links included in the virtualization platform may be adjusted toa different utilization level and/or target utilization level.

With respect to the method 400, in an embodiment, detecting and/orpredicting the one or more conditions (block 402) and/or balancing theat least one of the load or the performance levels based on the detectedand/or predicted conditions (block 405) is performed without any in-lineuser input. That is, the process control system may automaticallyexecute the method 400 during run-time operations without beingtriggered by and/or receiving any related user input. In an embodiment,a virtualization management node (such as the VMN 300) may execute oneor more portions of the method 400. Additionally or alternatively, oneor more virtual nodes of the plurality of virtual nodes, the I/O switch,and/or some other component of the virtualization platform may executeone or more portions of the method 400.

Thus, in view of the above, the novel Multi-Purpose platform for DynamicSimulation and run-time Control platform 10 provides numerous benefitsand advantages over known process control systems. For example, as theMPDSC platform 10 supports both simulation and run-time control viavirtual components, testing of changes (e.g., upgrades, patches, etc.)may be performed in the virtual environment 12 via a simulatedcomponent, and upon satisfactory checkout, the simulated component maybe easily activated as a virtual component of the process plant 100(e.g., “Load, Evaluate, Go,” bumpless or warm switchovers, etc.). Assuch, switchovers of simulated components to run-time components is moreeasily accomplished, and downtime due to upgrades, patches, and plannedmaintenance is reduced. Moreover, the amount of resources that areutilized to provide virtualized hot spares of various components andbring the virtualized hot spares on-line during failure or errorscenarios is also greatly reduced.

Further, the provision of run-time virtual components by the MPDSplatform 10 allows for independence between hardware and software withinthe plant 100. For example, controller software that is utilized duringrun-time of the process control system 100 may be upgraded inrun-time-virtual controllers without needing to upgrade or change anyphysical controller hardware. Similarly, due to the hardware/softwareindependence, the MPDS platform 10 allows for hardware of the processplant 100 to be upgraded independently of software upgrades.

Still, the provision of run-time virtual components and theadministration and/or management thereof (e.g., via the VMS 300 of theMPDSC platform 10) also allows for easy and less costly systemscalability, as additional virtual components may be easily implementedwithin the virtual environment 12 without needing to pay for, install,test, commission, and check out different physical hardware componentsand required cabinets, wiring, etc. Indeed, when additional virtualcomponents are needed to support the system 100, virtual components maybe created as needed up to the processing and/or memory limits of thephysical computing devices and/or hardware on which the virtualenvironment 12 is implemented, after which additional physical computingdevices and/or hardware may simply be added thereto.

The virtual environment 12 provided by the MPDS platform 10 enables thecreation of various components' digital twins and/or virtual simulationof the entire process plant 100, e.g., for testing, hot spares,upgrades, patches, planned maintenance, and/or other purposes. Digitaltwins (e.g., of particular components and of the entire process plant100) may be updated in lock-step with updates to their respectiveparticular physical component(s). That is, state information may bepassed, via the MPDSC platform 10, from physical node(s) to virtualnode(s). Indeed, the MPDSC platform 10 provides enhanced on-line testingof changes and/or different scenarios (e.g., “what-if” scenarios), and,in some situations, in conjunction with run-time virtual and/or physicalcomponents of the process plant 100. Due to the common MPDS platform 10(and in particular, the virtual environment 12 of the MPDS platform 10)being architected and utilized for both simulation and run-time controlpurposes, off-simulation is easily accomplished without anyconfiguration changes.

Still further, as the MPDS platform 10 abstracts the I/O of the processplant 100 away from being specifically directly associated withparticular hardware, I/O configuration within the plant 100 is moreflexible and is easily changed and adapted not only during run-time, butalso during upgrades, maintenance, failures, and the like.Significantly, communicative connections between I/O devices and othercomponents (e.g., CIOCs and controllers) are no longer limited byphysical ports that are available on physical I/O devices. As I/O isabstracted within the MPDS platform 10, any number of communicativeconnections between a virtual I/O device and other components arelogically possible, up to the processing and/or memory limits of thephysical computing devices and/or hardware on which the virtualenvironment 12 is implemented, after which additional physical computingdevices and/or hardware may simply be added thereto. Similarly, due tothe abstraction of I/O within the MPDS platform 10, and control modulesand/or other CBMs 58 may be assigned to any virtual host device orcomponent without any concern for I/O location and/or loading of thehost device or component, as is necessary when utilizing physical hostdevices or components. That is, as previously discussed, virtualcomponents (whether utilized for simulation or for run-time controlpurposes) may operate utilizing I/O from physical components or fromother virtual components. As such, the MPDS platform 10 is able toabstract (e.g., by utilizing the I/O Switch 25) redundancy, retry, andother mechanisms that are presently tied to specific implementationswithin currently known techniques so that the abstractions may beutilized across in multiple, different types of applications, scenarios,and implementations, e.g., with selected customization andspecialization of various abstractions for particular implementationsand/or applications. Consequently, the MPDS platform 10 is able tosupport many more numbers and types of I/O systems (as compared tocurrently known techniques) in a consistent and easily scalable manner.

When implemented in software, any of the applications, services, virtualdevices, vertical machines, virtual entities, etc. described herein maybe stored in any tangible, non-transitory computer readable memory suchas on a magnetic disk, a laser disk, solid state memory device,molecular memory storage device, or other storage medium, in a RAM orROM of a computer or processor, etc. Although the example systemsdisclosed herein are disclosed as including, among other components,software and/or firmware executed on hardware, it should be noted thatsuch systems are merely illustrative and should not be considered aslimiting. For example, it is contemplated that any or all of thesehardware, software, and firmware components could be embodiedexclusively in hardware, exclusively in software, or in any combinationof hardware and software. Accordingly, while the example systemsdescribed herein are described as being implemented in software executedon a processor of one or more computer devices, persons of ordinaryskill in the art will readily appreciate that the examples provided arenot the only way to implement such systems.

Thus, while the present invention has been described with reference tospecific examples, which are intended to be illustrative only and not tobe limiting of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinaryskill in the art that changes, additions or deletions may be made to thedisclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed:
 1. A method in an industrial process plant, the methodcomprising: during run-time operations of the industrial process plant:balancing a load of a virtualization platform across a plurality ofvirtual nodes implemented on the virtualization platform based on one ormore configured boundary conditions, each virtual node of the pluralityof virtual nodes including a respective at least one component behaviormodule that operates on content of respective first data via arespective one or more subscriptions to generate respective second dataand that publishes the respective second data for delivery to arespective other process control component to thereby control arespective at least a portion of the industrial process, and a physicalfield device operating in a field environment of the industrial processplant at least one of: generates at least a portion of the respectivefirst data subscribed to by a particular virtual node of the pluralityof virtual nodes, or is the respective other process control componentcorresponding to the particular virtual node; and re-balancing the loadof the virtualization platform responsive to a change to the one or moreconfigured boundary conditions.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein thebalancing of the load of the virtualization platform based on the one ormore configured boundary conditions includes balancing the load of thevirtualization platform based on at least one of a maximum, a minimum,or a target threshold of a performance level or a resource utilizationof the virtualization platform.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein thebalancing of the load of the virtualization platform includes adjustingat least one of a software resource load, a hardware resource load, aprocessor utilization load, a memory resource load, or a traffic load ofat least a portion of the virtualization platform.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the balancing of the load of the virtualizationplatform includes adjusting at least one of: a utilization of one ormore processors of the virtualization platform, or a utilization of anetwork or one or more links of the virtualization platform, the networkor the one or more links interconnecting the one or more processors ofthe virtualization platform.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein thebalancing of the load of the virtualization platform includes at leastone of: removing a first virtual node from the plurality of nodesimplemented on the virtualization platform, creating an additionalvirtual node implemented on the virtualization platform, or moving asecond virtual node from being supported by a first set of computingresources of the virtualization platform to being supported by a secondset of computing resources of the virtualization platform.
 6. The methodof claim 1, wherein the balancing of the load of the virtualizationplatform includes re-assigning an I/O assignment from a first virtualnode to a second virtual node, the I/O assignment indicating anassociation between a respective virtual node and a respective logicalidentifier that is indicative of data, a set or grouping of data, and/ora data type that is utilized within the industrial process plant andthat is subscribed to and/or published by the respective virtual node.7. The method of claim 1, wherein the balancing and the re-balancing ofthe load is automatically performed without any in-line user input. 8.The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting or predicting thechange to the one or more configured boundary conditions, and whereinthe re-balancing of the load is responsive to the detected or predictedchange.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the detecting or thepredicting of the change to the one or more configured boundaryconditions is automatically performed without any in-line user input,and the re-balancing of the load responsive to the detected or predictedchange to the one or more configured boundary conditions isautomatically performed without any in-line user input.
 10. The methodof claim 1, wherein the change to the one or more configured boundaryconditions is initiated by a user input.
 11. A system of an industrialprocess plant, the system comprising: a plurality of virtual nodesdisposed in a virtual environment of the industrial process plant andimplemented on a virtualization platform, each virtual node of theplurality of virtual nodes including a respective at least one componentbehavior module that operates on content of respective first data via arespective one or more subscriptions to generate respective second dataand that publishes the respective second data for delivery to arespective other process control component to thereby control arespective at least a portion of the industrial process, and a physicalfield device operating in a field environment of the industrial processplant at least one of: generates at least a portion of the respectivefirst data subscribed to by a particular virtual node of the pluralityof virtual nodes, or is the respective other process control componentcorresponding to the particular virtual node; and a virtualizationmanagement node that balances, based on one or more configured boundaryconditions, a load of the virtualization platform across the pluralityof virtual nodes, and that re-balances the load of the virtualizationplatform responsive to a change to the one or more configured boundaryconditions.
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the virtualizationmanagement node balances the load of the virtualization platform basedon at least one of a maximum, a minimum, or a target threshold of adynamic condition associated with the virtualization platform.
 13. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the dynamic condition is a performance levelor a resource utilization of the virtualization platform.
 14. The systemof claim 11, wherein the virtualization management node balances theload of the virtualization platform by adjusting at least one of: one ormore of a software resource load, a hardware resource load, a processorutilization load, a memory resource load, or a traffic load of at leasta portion of the virtualization platform; a utilization of one or moreprocessors of the virtualization platform; or a utilization of a networkor one or more links of the virtualization platform, the network or theone or more links interconnecting the one or more processors of thevirtualization platform.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein at leastone of: the network is a virtual network, or one of the one or morelinks is a virtual link.
 16. The system of claim 11, wherein thevirtualization management node balances the load of the virtualizationplatform by at least one of: removing a first virtual node from theplurality of nodes implemented on the virtualization platform, creatingan additional virtual node implemented on the virtualization platform,or moving a second virtual node from being supported by a first set ofcomputing resources of the virtualization platform to being supported bya second set of computing resources of the virtualization platform. 17.The system of claim 11, wherein the virtualization management nodebalances the load of the virtualization platform by re-assigning an I/Oassignment from a first virtual node to a second virtual node, the I/Oassignment indicating an association between a respective virtual nodeand a respective logical identifier indicative of data, a set orgrouping of data, and/or a data type that is utilized within theindustrial process plant and that is subscribed to and/or published bythe respective virtual node.
 18. The system of claim 17, wherein thelogical identifier is defined in a configuration database of theindustrial process plant.
 19. The system of claim 11, wherein thevirtualization platform comprises one or more interconnected computingdevices having one or more processors and one or more tangible memorydevices, the one or more processors executing computer-executableinstructions stored on the one or more tangible memory devices toprovide the plurality of virtual nodes.
 20. The system of claim 11,wherein the virtualization management node is included in the pluralityof virtual nodes.